ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have agreed to sign a long-term economic cooperation roadmap extending through 2030 as the two countries seek to expand trade, energy cooperation and regional connectivity, Pakistan’s information ministry said this week.
The planned agreement reflects a steady improvement in relations between Islamabad and Moscow, which were on opposite sides during the Cold War and remained estranged for decades after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. In recent years, however, the two countries have expanded engagement in energy, trade, defense and regional diplomacy.
In 2023, Pakistan received its first shipment of discounted Russian crude oil, while discussions have continued on broader cooperation in the energy sector. Russia has also expressed interest in regional connectivity projects linking South Asia, Central Asia and Eurasia.
Energy Minister Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari announced the plans for an economic pact while addressing a webinar on Pakistan-Russia relations, according to a statement issued by the information ministry on Tuesday.
“To unlock the substantial potential for bilateral trade and address structural hurdles like payment mechanisms, both nations have agreed to sign the Program of Economic Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Pakistan for the Period until 2030,” Leghari said.
The minister said the agreement would provide a framework for expanding economic ties and overcoming obstacles that have long constrained bilateral trade.
Leghari, who serves as co-chairman of the Pakistan-Russia Intergovernmental Commission, said regular engagement between the two countries had helped broaden cooperation across multiple sectors.
He said Pakistan and Russia had also expanded consultations on security, strategic stability and counterterrorism while coordinating positions at multilateral forums including the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
A key area of cooperation is regional connectivity. Leghari said Pakistan had signaled its intention to join the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal trade route connecting Russia with Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran and India.
He also welcomed remarks by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk supporting efforts to connect the corridor with Pakistan’s Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.
The minister said the two countries had also recently signed a long-pending readmission agreement, which is expected to facilitate visa procedures, business travel and people-to-people exchanges.
According to the statement, Leghari described Pakistan-Russia relations as an important component of broader Eurasian economic integration and regional stability.
The minister added that growing high-level engagement between the two countries had helped transform relations, citing multiple recent meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
