India in talks with Pak for export of petro products

India has held talks with Pakistan about exporting refined fuels to its neighbour, chairman of the Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) and Hindustan Mittal Energy S Roy Chaudhury said today.

He was speaking at the opening of the company's new refinery at Bhatinda in Punjab, close to the border between the two countries.

With Pakistan as with China earlier, economic cooperation is looking to be the key to improved relations, with territorial disputes being deliberately put on the back burner by both sides. Pakistan's assembly recently passed legislation that opens the gates for more Indian products to enter that country.

"There were government-to-government discussions. A delegation from Pakistan came but nothing has been finalised," said Choudhury.

"Any decision has to make economic sense," he said.

Pakistan said last month it was close to removing gasoline from a list of banned imports from India. It allowed diesel imports in 2009, but no Indian supplies were sent in the face of preferential prices offered by Pakistan's allies such as Kuwait.