KARACHI: A high-powered Chinese delegation has expressed “keen interest” in making investments in seed development, precision farming, smart irrigation systems and agro-processing in Pakistan, the Pakistani national food security ministry said on Tuesday.

The Chinese delegation, comprising senior officials, agricultural scientists, and private sector representatives, met with National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain to explore enhanced cooperation in the field of agriculture.

The two sides discussed joint strategies to modernize Pakistan’s agricultural sector and to initiate collaborative efforts in research, innovation and investment, with the delegation highlighting China’s agricultural advancements and willingness to transfer expertise.

“Through collaboration with China, Pakistan can introduce scientific research, climate-resilient practices, and modern technology that will uplift the productivity of local farmers and ensure long-term food security,” Hussain told the Chinese delegates, stressing the urgent need to formalize agreements between Pakistani and Chinese agricultural institutions.

The agriculture sector contributes nearly a quarter of Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 37 percent of the national labor force, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. However, a fast-growing population, climate change and poor resource management have greatly impacted Pakistan’s crops in recent years, prompting officials to ponder alternative ways to enhance production.

Pakistan also decided in June last year to send nearly 1,000 graduates to China to train in methods and techniques to enhance Pakistani agricultural production. Of them, around 300 Pakistani graduates this month completed training in water-saving irrigation, seed production, animal husbandry, agriculture production and prevention of post-harvest losses in China’s Shaanxi province.

During Tuesday’s meeting with Chinese delegates, Hussain proposed signing multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) focusing on joint research in areas such as biotechnology, crop improvement, pest control and sustainable agricultural practices, according to the national food security ministry.

He also underscored the importance of establishing long-term frameworks for the exchange of scientists, technical training, and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural institutions.

“Hussain noted that this partnership must go beyond investment and move toward structured collaboration in research and development,” the ministry said.

“The Chinese delegation appreciated the Minister’s strategic vision and assured full support from their government and private sector to contribute to Pakistan’s agricultural transformation… The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to elevate the Pakistan-China partnership in agriculture to a new level, ensuring tangible outcomes in the coming months through structured planning and implementation.”

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday denied that any world leader pushed India to stop fighting Pakistan during their recent conflict, after repeated claims by US President Donald Trump that he had brokered peace.

The South Asian rivals fought an intense four-day conflict in May that left more than 70 people dead on both sides before Trump announced a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

“No world leader asked us to stop the operation,” Modi told parliament during a debate on “Operation Sindoor,” the military campaign launched against Pakistan in May.

Modi did not name Trump in his speech.

The Indian prime minister also claimed that it was Pakistan that pleaded with India to stop fighting after feeling the “heat of our attacks.”

The conflict was sparked by an April attack on tourists by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 men dead, mostly Hindus.

India accused Pakistan of backing the attackers, a charge Islamabad denied.

Trump has claimed numerous times that he brokered peace between the rivals, including most recently on Monday.

“If I weren’t around, you’d have, right now, six major wars going on. India would be fighting with Pakistan,” Trump said during his visit to Scotland.

Modi’s assertion came after Rahul Gandhi from the opposition Congress party challenged the premier to say “inside the parliament that Donald Trump is lying.”

Earlier Tuesday, home minister Amit Shah told lawmakers that three Pakistani gunmen involved in the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir were killed during a military operation on Monday.

Shah told parliament that all three were Pakistani nationals and identified two of them as members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist group based in Pakistan.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and the neighbors — who both claim the region in full — have fought two wars and several conflicts over its control.

The fighting in May brought the rivals close to another war, but Trump announced a ceasefire between them before the two countries did.

Soon, opposition parties in India started raising questions about third-party mediation between the foes, a claim New Delhi has always denied.