ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have concluded the 10th session of their Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, signing the official protocol and three memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
The talks, held in Islamabad from 25 to 27 November 2025, were co-chaired by Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and Russia’s Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Thursday.
The session closed with the signing of the IGC protocol and three MoUs intended to deepen institutional links, the Foreign Office said.
The MoUs include media cooperation between the Associated Press of Pakistan and Russia’s Sputnik agency; technical regulation and metrology between the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority and Russia’s Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology; and cooperation on competition law between the Competition Commission of Pakistan and Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service. The ministry said the instruments would facilitate bilateral economic activity.
Trade and connectivity
Senior-level delegates from both sides participated in the intergovernmental meetings, held under the guidance of the leadership of the two countries, the Foreign Office stated.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to a broad, forward-looking partnership that supports the socio-economic development of Pakistan and Russia and contributes to regional stability and connectivity.
Building upon the outcomes of the 9th IGC, both sides reviewed progress across various areas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the constructive discussions on enhancing bilateral trade, diversifying export portfolios, and strengthening business-to-business engagement.
They reiterated the importance of continued cooperation to facilitate trade fairs, exchanges between business communities, and improved market access for key Pakistani products, including textiles, sports goods, IT services, engineering items, and agricultural commodities, the ministry added.
The delegations also acknowledged the significance of advancing the pilot cargo movement along agreed corridors and confirmed their intention to operationalise a pilot train, marking a tangible step toward improving regional logistics and connectivity, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release.
Pakistan-Russia energy cooperation
Energy cooperation remained a central element of the dialogue, with both sides noting positive engagement in the oil and gas sectors, opportunities in LNG and LPG supply frameworks, and the importance of technical collaboration.
They also emphasized the potential for renewable energy, hydropower development, and water-related technologies, including hydrological monitoring and resilience against floods.
In industry and technology, discussions covered pharmaceutical cooperation, including insulin localisation, modernisation of metallurgical capacity of the Pakistan Steel Mills, and possible ventures in heavy machinery, mining, and advanced manufacturing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The two sides underscored the importance of scientific, academic, and technological collaboration. They reaffirmed plans to finalise intergovernmental agreements on higher education, mutual recognition of degrees, and scientific cooperation, alongside expanding scholarships, joint research, and academic mobility in engineering, medical sciences, IT, and space technology.
Russian language centres
Both sides welcomed initiatives to establish Russian language centres in Islamabad and Karachi. Demonstrating the tangible commitment to educational ties, a special ceremony was hosted by Pakistan’s Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) at the Islamabad Model College for Boys I-8, a key centre for Russian language learning, the Foreign Office stated.
They also expressed appreciation for expanding cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges, including school partnerships, youth programmes, and cultural outreach efforts.
During the session, the Russian delegation met with survivors of the 2005 earthquake, highlighting the humanitarian solidarity between the two nations, and a cultural performance by Russian artists was held at the PNCA.
Pakistan acknowledged the installation of the Yuri Gagarin statue in Islamabad as a symbol of friendship and scientific cooperation between the two nations, with its inauguration scheduled for today by Minister Tsivilev.
Cooperation in humanitarian and disaster-management domains was highlighted, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation agreeing to explore collaboration in early-warning systems, emergency response training, and resilience-building measures.
The two sides also discussed opportunities in sports cooperation, tourism promotion, and strengthening media and cultural linkages to support greater public understanding between the peoples of both countries, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release.
MoUs to boost cooperation
At the conclusion of the Session, both sides signed the official Protocol of the 10th IGC. Three important MoUs were also signed.
The MoU between the Associated Press of Pakistan and Russia’s SPUTNIK News Agency to enhance media cooperation and professional exchanges.
The MoU between the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority and Russia’s Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology to strengthen collaboration in standardisation, metrology, and conformity assessment.
The MoU between the Competition Commission of Pakistan and the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia to support cooperation in competition law, exchange of expertise, and capacity building.
Both sides agreed that these instruments will contribute meaningfully to enhancing institutional cooperation and facilitating bilateral economic activity, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
It was agreed that the 11th Session of the Pakistan–Russia Intergovernmental Commission will take place in the Russian Federation in 2026 on mutually convenient dates.
The Co-Chairs expressed satisfaction with the constructive outcomes of the 10th IGC and reaffirmed their shared commitment to implementing agreed measures and further advancing Pakistan–Russia relations based on mutual respect, trust, and long-term cooperation, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
