India, Afghanistan Boost Trade Ties with Commercial Attachés and Infrastructure Upgrades
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New Delhi, India and Kabul, Afghanistan are set to strengthen their bilateral trade ties with the appointment of dedicated commercial attachés. The move aims to boost trade, currently valued at over $1 billion, and help India surpass the pre-2021 trade level of $1.8 billion. According to sources, India and Afghanistan have agreed to establish trade attaches in each other's embassies to oversee and support bilateral trade cooperation. This decision follows a meeting between Afghanistan's Minister of Industry and Commerce, Hajji Nooruddin Azizi, and India's Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasad. The two nations have also initiated several infrastructure upgrades, including the activation of air freight corridors on the Kabul-Delhi and Kabul-Amritsar routes. Regular cargo flights will soon commence, enhancing trade facilitation. In a bid to push bilateral trade, India and Afghanistan have decided to reactivate joint working groups on trade, commerce, and investment. The move includes simplifying customs and banking procedures, fully operationalizing the Chabahar Port route, and developing dry ports in Nimruz province. The two countries have agreed to encourage joint investments in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cold storage chains, and export processing zones. They have also pledged to hold regular exhibitions, business-to-business meetings, and sector-specific conferences to foster economic cooperation. Afghanistan's Deputy Prime Minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has previously directed traders to phase out business with Pakistan due to repeated border closures and 'political misuse' of trade routes. India's commitment to strengthening trade ties with Afghanistan comes as a significant boost to the regional economy.
