Indo-Pak trade may face uncertainty after Bhutto's death

BANGALORE: India may face "some uncertainty" in bilateral trade with Pakistan following volatile situation in the Muslim nation in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

"How the latest assassination will affect...certainly I think, there will be some uncertainty (in bilateral trade)," Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said on Friday.

"We are hoping that by February-March, a new system will be in place and we can resume our dialogue (on trade-related issues)," he said here.

Bilateral trade, if one were to add both direct and indirect ones, is worth around USD four billion, Ramesh said, adding he was looking forward to visit Pakistan in March to discuss trade-related issues.

"I don't know whether that invitation will still stand.It all depends on whether Pakistan will go through with elections in January or not," he said.

New Delhi is keen to boost the marketing of Indian tea in Pakistan, Ramesh said.

"India is the world's largest producer of tea. Pakistan is the world's second largest importer of tea. Pakistan imports about 140 million kg of tea, and India's share of that is about 15 million kg. We would like our share in Pakistan to go up to 35-40 million million kg in the next couple of years," the minister said.