The marble industry in Pakistan is set to benefit from a significant boost in technical cooperation with Italy, following a high-level meeting between Ambassador of Pakistan to Italy, H.E. Mr. Ali Javed, and CEO & Managing Director of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), H.E. Ambassador Mr. Lorenzo Galanti, at the ITA Headquarters in Rome.
A central outcome of the discussions was ITA’s support for a Technical Mission from the Italian Marble Institute, scheduled to visit Pakistan in February 2026. The mission will evaluate extraction, processing, and finishing practices across Pakistan’s globally recognized marble reserves, aiming to integrate state-of-the-art Italian quarrying and finishing technologies. This initiative could significantly enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve the quality of finished marble, positioning Pakistan as a stronger player in the global market.
Ambassador Galanti also backed Pakistan’s proposal for a “Sectoral Matchmaking and Seminar Series”, designed to deepen and diversify B2B engagement. Through webinar-based platforms coordinated by ITA, Pakistani and Italian companies—ranging from quarries and machinery suppliers to design and export specialists—will have opportunities to explore joint ventures and technology partnerships.
Both sides discussed organizing a Pakistan–Italy Business Forum alongside the next Joint Economic Commission in Islamabad in 2026. The forum would provide a high-level platform for industry leaders to explore collaborative projects, technology transfer, and market expansion, with a particular focus on the natural stone sector.
These developments come at a time of unprecedented trade growth. In FY 2024–25, bilateral trade reached USD 1.46 billion, with Pakistan enjoying a trade surplus of USD 816 million. While textiles remain the dominant export, averaging USD 750 million annually over the past five years, stakeholders see immense untapped potential in marble and natural stone, especially with targeted technical cooperation and value-added production.
For the global stone industry, the upcoming Italian mission represents a strategic opportunity: combining Pakistan’s rich marble resources with Italy’s technological expertise could create new export-ready products, elevate quality standards, and strengthen Pakistan’s position in international supply chains.
