Pakistani scientists will hold a meeting with their Indian counterparts in April in Lahore to share information on issues such as agriculture, health, environment and industry, scientists said Tuesday.

The meeting, which will be attended by scientists from the US as well, will pave the way for a larger meeting later on to explore the possibilities of sharing information and developing common strategies, scientists said at the 92nd Indian Science Congress here.

This is the first time Pakistani scientists were invited to attend the congress, India's most prestigious meet for scientists.

"India and Pakistan have to an enormous degree the same problems, and we have to find common solutions for them. There are a lot of things to share, and we look forward to increased interactions in the future," said Anwar Nasim, chairman of Pakistan's National Commission on Biotechnology, who was part of the four-member delegation from his country.

According to him, "India is ahead of Pakistan in research", but "Pakistan will open new markets for India, and bio-saline agriculture on which work has already started there will prove useful for India."

The meeting comes in the wake of the Indian government's resolve to bring about a new green revolution using genetics and modern methods of agriculture to increase productivity.

"The whole idea is to network, to share experience between scientists of both countries, since the basic problems faced by both countries are almost the same," said M.K. Bhan, secretary of India's department of biotechnology.