NEW DELHI: During the SAARC summit in Kathmandu last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced business visas with three to five years’ validity for citizens of all SAARC member states. The step was aimed at boosting regional trade across South Asia.
The Indian government has relaxed visa policy for SAARC countries including Pakistani businessmen, granting them a three-year multiple-entry business visa, allowing them to visit 15 places in India first time.The SAARC Chamber had been raising the visa issue at all forum since long and now it had succeeded in persuading the Indian government to issue multiple entry visa.
The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice president Iftikhar Ali Malik expressed the hope that the facility would result in increased trade among SAARC countries and especially between India and Pakistan in coming years.
The business visa can be granted for a period of up to five years or for a shorter duration as per the requirement to the nationals of SAARC countries except in case of nationals of Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan.
