KARACHI, March 16: India will not give any subsidy to its rice exporters this year; the Indian minister for finance and food Surshe Jain said this while was talking with the Pakistani delegation of rice exporters in Mumbai on Sunday.

A 25-member delegation of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) led by Abdul Rahim Janoo is on a visit to India.

Hence, the Indian decision would give an opportunity to the Pakistani rice traders to tap the new markets, dominated by Indian rice exporters.

The REAP delegation also signed a MoU with the AIREA for cooperation and building market strategy.

Under this MoU, a 6-member committee have been formed who will meet at-least thrice a year.

The first of such meeting will be held in Pakistan.

During the signing ceremony, the Pakistani delegation objected to posters projecting the slogan -"Basmati- Heritage of India".

Janoo corrected the organiser and said that it should read as "Basmati- Heritage of Indo-Pak". The Indians agreed to the amendment, a press release said.

The News International, Pakistan