India and Pakistan Renew Agreement on Kartarpur Corridor

Source: This post on India and Pakistan Renew Agreement on Kartarpur Corridor  has been created based on the article “India-Pakistan Renew Kartarpur Corridor Agreement” published in The Hindu on 23rd October 2024.

Why in news?

Recently, India and Pakistan renewed Agreement on Kartarpur Corridor.

About the Agreement

1. India and Pakistan have agreed to extend their 2019 agreement on the Kartarpur Corridor for another five years.

2. This will allow continued access for Indian pilgrims to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Narowal, Pakistan, until 2029.

3. The original agreement, signed on October 24, 2019, was initially valid for five years. The extension ensures uninterrupted operation of the corridor, facilitating the pilgrimage for the Indian Sikh community.

4. Despite the renewal of the agreement, India was unsuccessful in its efforts to persuade Pakistan to eliminate the $20 service fee (approximately ₹1,680) levied on each pilgrim.

5.  Pakistan claims the fee is necessary to cover the cost of refurbishing the gurdwara, which amounted to an estimated $17 million.

UPSC Syllabus: International agreement