<h1>Ministers push diversified economic cooperation, joint ventures, and measurable working groups to shield trade from third-party tariffs</h1> An external affairs minister from one country met the deputy prime minister of another to urge creative, diversified economic cooperation amid geopolitical strain caused by a third country's retaliatory tariffs tied to crude oil purchases. Talks under the bilateral intergovernmental commission sought to expand trade and investment through joint ventures, working groups with quantifiable targets and timelines, and a coordination mechanism linking business forums to technical subgroups. The proposals aim to make the commission more results-oriented and to prepare for a forthcoming presidential visit, while mitigating trade disruptions and legal/commercial risks from external sanctions or tariff measures.