Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 23: With Pakistan blocking land connectivity between India and Afghanistan, the two countries are moving to strengthen trade through air and sea routes. Afghanistan’s Taliban government Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi, who is on a five-day visit to India, held discussions with New Delhi on expanding alternative trade corridors.

Initial plans include launching cargo flights between Delhi–Kabul and Amritsar–Kabul. MEA Joint Secretary Anand Prakash confirmed the development, stating that air cargo corridors linking Kabul with Delhi and Amritsar have been reactivated and freight flights will begin soon.

Afghanistan has also expressed strong interest in using Iran’s Chabahar Port to enhance maritime trade with India. Speaking at a business event in Delhi, Minister Azizi said, “We request the Government of India to help operationalise the Chabahar trade route.”

At present, bilateral trade between India and Afghanistan stands at nearly ?90,000 crore, and both sides aim to expand it significantly. Despite being neighbours, overland trade remains practically impossible due to Pakistan’s control over the Gilgit–Baltistan region and its strained relations with both India and Afghanistan.

Asked whether Afghanistan would maintain strong ties with India if relations with Pakistan improved in the future, Azizi said, “We never want violence. Afghanistan has seen too much bloodshed. Business and politics should not be mixed. We want to build a commercial environment for the country’s progress.”

He invited Indian investors to explore opportunities in Afghanistan’s mining, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, IT, energy, textiles and agriculture sectors.