A Pakistani investing in India
Fawzia Naqvi of the Soros Economic Development Fund has an unusual focus

Pakistani American Fawzia Naqvi, who heads the India investment portfolio for the Soros Economic Development Fund, is proud of being one of the few Pakistani origin women who invests in India – something she has been doing for the past eight years.

Naqvi speaks about her work in a short video posted recently by the policy hub The Political Indian (www.thepoliticalindian.com).

Her focus, she explains, is clients in diverse, low-income sectors who run small and medium enterprises focusing on areas like healthcare, education, food, and logistics, working to provide more affordable products and services to the people. This also helps the economy become more efficient.

The companies range from a potato supply chain, to low cost affordable eye care company in north India, from a chain of high quality, low cost hospitals in south India, to a trucking company based in Bombay and Pune. Naqvi finds the logistics investments are particularly significant. “Moving people, moving products are very important functions in a growing economy and a country that has an aspiration to grow.”

The trucking company could provide essential farm-to-market linkages if the temperatures during the supply-chain are controlled. This would enormously benefit farmers in Kashmir, for example, “who are currently solely dependent on the Kashmir market for their products which have a very short shelf life,” as Naqvi explains. Then there’s the designer clothing line Caravan Crafts, a luxury fashion crossover of Indian and western clothing that also helps to sustain artisans in areas like the impoverished rural west Bengal.

Naqvi hopes to be able to use her experience in Pakistan some day, to help Pakistani policy makers and entrepreneurs to improve their practices.

Khul ja sim sim
The Indian Commerce Ministry’s proposal for a unilateral move letting Pakistani mobile phone SIM cards function in the country may lead to better relations

India’s proposal of a unilateral move allowing mobile phone SIM cards issued in Pakistan to function in the country, if followed through, will go far towards boosting trade ties between the two neighbours. So far, both have cited security concerns to deny a longstanding demand of businessmen on both sides of the border.

Indian Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher has reportedly written to the home ministry asking that Pakistani SIM cards be allowed access in India. He is also reported to have said that “Pakistanis coming on visas are not terrorists. Giving SIM card access will only enhance business ties between the two nations.”

The proposal, which was earlier made to the UPA government, comes again ahead of a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Pakistani counterpart Khurram Dastgir Khan on July 24 on the sidelines of the South Asian Free Trade Area ministerial council in Bhutan – the first bilateral ministerial meeting since the Modi-led government took charge.

“By allowing sim card access, India may be in a better position to monitor telecom traffic,” says an official. “A person who has to communicate may anyway use other means such as Skype. If you bring along a Dubai sim, it will work in India. So how does the ban on Pakistani sim cards enhance security?”

Businessmen from either country can get multi-city visas to India and Pakistan, but need to obtain local sim cards. If India moves to unilaterally allow Pakistani sim cards roaming access in India, Pakistan is likely to reciprocate. This may lead to better regional integration and boost bilateral trade.