Pakistan-Russia webinar strengthens momentum for cooperation in trade, education and energy

The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad, in collaboration with the University of World Civilizations (UWCM), Moscow, on Thursday convened the second event of the Pakistan-Russia Webinar Series, titled “Pakistan-Russia: Strengthening Trade, Education & Energy Collaboration.”

The webinar brought together senior politicians, diplomats, business leaders and academics from both countries to explore practical options for expanding bilateral engagement in trade, industrial development, energy, education and regional relations.

Building on the success of the first webinar in the series in June 2026, the second dialogue promoted discussions from geopolitical perspectives towards concrete geoeconomic initiatives.

Participants emphasized that sustained interaction between governments, academic institutions, businesses and political communities was critical to unlocking the significant potential of Pakistan-Russia relations in an evolving Eurasian landscape.

Opening the webinar, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, Chairman of the Institute of Regional Studies, noted that Pakistan and Russia were entering a new phase of bilateral engagement where economic cooperation, institutional partnerships and people-to-people exchanges can complement steadily growing diplomatic relations.

He emphasized that political dialogue must increasingly be accompanied by practical initiatives that can create long-term economic and strategic benefits for both countries.

Energy Minister Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari delivered the keynote address, highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to diversifying its international energy partnerships and identifying Russia as an important partner in energy security, infrastructure development, technological cooperation and long-term investment.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Alexey V. Gruzdev reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to expanding industrial and commercial engagement with Pakistan and emphasized new opportunities emerging across Eurasia.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, highlighted the importance of translating the positive trajectory of bilateral political relations into greater trade, investment, connectivity and cooperation in the private sector.

Boris Burmistrov of the Russian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Pakistan through intergovernmental cooperation, deepening multi-sectoral relations and working together in regional and international forums to advance common interests.

Dr. Roxolana Zigon moderated the first session and guided discussions on trade, transport links and energy cooperation. Mohsin Sheikh, Chairman of the Pakistan-Russia Business Council, gave a historical overview of trade dimensions between both countries and then outlined practical approaches to expand bilateral trade through improved logistics, economic corridor development and stronger business-to-business engagement in Eurasia.

Ambassador Qazi M. Khalilullah, Executive Director of CISSS Karachi, emphasized the importance of robust long-term energy partnerships and greater cooperation in energy infrastructure and strategic planning through initiatives such as advanced Eurasian cargo services and Eurasian trade special representatives in respective countries.

Read more: Pakistan, Russia agree to sign economic cooperation program extending to 2030: Awais Leghari

Dr. Prokhor Tebin explored the changing dynamics of globalization and argued that new Pakinomist-economic realities present new opportunities for Pakistan and Russia to deepen cooperation. Dr. Zigon summarized the session and emphasized the importance of a continuous institutional dialogue with a focus on practical implementation.

The second session, moderated by Dr. Usman W. Chohan, examined industrial development, education, human capital and financial cooperation as key pillars of long-term bilateral engagement. Dr. Asma Naveed from the National University of Modern Languages ​​​​gave concrete recommendations on bilateral human capital development, including language training in specialized economic sectors, joint and lasting institutional engagement and the establishment of Russian language centers in the Pakistani education system.

Dr. Svetlana Minyurova of the Russian Academy of Education outlined the prospects for closer cooperation between Pakistani and Russian universities through joint research, technology transfer, academic exchange and institutional partnerships.

Mr. Dmitry Antonov of the Business Council of Cooperation with Pakistan (Russia) made concrete recommendations regarding the facilitation of business-to-business (B2B) ties between both countries, including banking channels, development of internal routes and use of Eurasian multilateral forums.

Across both sessions, participants agreed that the changing global political economy presents significant opportunities for Pakistan and Russia to diversify economic partnerships, strengthen regional ties and expand cooperation in trade, industry, energy, education, science and technology. Speakers emphasized the importance of building stronger links between governments, universities, companies and research institutions to translate shared strategic interests into tangible results.

In his closing remarks, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem noted that the discussions reflected a broad convergence of views on the need to move beyond dialogue towards implementation. He noted that sustained engagement would be critical to developing sustainable, multidimensional partnerships.

The participants agreed that the Pakistan-Russia Webinar Series has become an important platform to promote strategic dialogue and strengthen mutual understanding between the two countries. They welcomed plans to continue the series to explore and delineate ways to strengthen Pakistan and Russia’s growing partnership in an increasingly interconnected Eurasian region.