Pakistan and Russia Agree to Expand Technology Cooperation and Pave the Way for Concrete Business Agreements; Ahsan Iqbal Emphasizes Joint Ventures, Investments, and Access to New Markets
ISLAMABAD : The Pak-Rus government officials, industry associations and top technology companies discussed opportunities for collaboration in joint ventures, mutual investments, and market expansion, making significant strides toward turning bilateral technological cooperation into tangible business deals.
In a high-level webinar, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the University of World Civilizations, Moscow organized a joint webinar on IT Cooperation between Pakistan and Russia. The federal ministers, industry leaders and technology experts from Pakistan and Russia were brought together during third session of Pakistan-Russia Webinar Series.
The Pakistan-Russia Technology Cooperation Webinar had the following agenda:
The Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, who delivered the Keynote Address, said that technological cooperation has the potential to be a strong catalyst for innovation, investment, and economic growth. He called for two countries to go beyond the traditional cooperation in trade and expand their cooperation in joint ventures and products that are globally competitive based on technology.
‘Uraan Pakistan’ and Digital Goals: Highlighting the government’s national economic transformation plan, ‘Uraan Pakistan’ Iqbal said that “E-Pakistan” is one of the five core priority areas that are set to drive the national economy towards $1 trillion by 2035.
He mentioned that Pakistan is currently producing more than 75,000 IT graduates each year and there is a target to produce 1 million AI experts by 2030 via talent pools and AI Hubs. Seven new AI research and industrial centers are being built to reinforce research and industrial ties.
Digital Infrastructure and Financial Systems: Iqbal highlighted that Pakistan’s instant payment system Raast has successfully processed 646 million transactions in one quarter, which shows the country’s strong digital infrastructure and capacity, while NADRA’s digital identity system is globally recognised.
In the field of AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital governance, the Federal Minister noted that the combination of Russian scientific and engineering prowess and Pakistan’s talented workforce could yield significant opportunities.
Record IT Exports: The meeting was informed that during FY25-26 Pakistan’s IT and telecommunication exports crossed a record high of $4.6 billion, representing an approximate 20 per cent rise as compared to the previous fiscal year.
Russian Perspective: Russian Federation’s Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Bella Cherkesova delivered the conference address focusing on opportunities of digital partnership, investments and advanced technology sharing between Moscow and Islamabad.