India-Afghanistan Ties Strengthen: Azizi's Productive Visit Yields Promising Outcomes
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New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has hailed Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi's recent visit to India as a resounding success, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral engagement and cooperation in trade, economy, and investments. During his visit from November 19-25, Azizi held a series of high-level meetings with Indian ministers, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The talks focused on key areas such as trade facilitation, market access, connectivity, and capacity-building. A notable outcome of the visit was the announcement of the initiation of the air freight corridor on the Kabul-Delhi and Kabul-Amritsar sectors. Both countries also welcomed the reactivation of the Joint Working Group on Trade, Commerce, and Investment and agreed to explore opportunities for collaboration in mining and other high-value sectors. India and Afghanistan are set to institutionalize a joint chamber of commerce and industry, with commercial representatives to be deputed at their respective embassies. The Afghan minister also met Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada and interacted with various exhibitors at the India International Trade Fair (IITF), where several Afghan traders have set up stalls. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that India remains committed to working closely with Afghanistan to advance their economic partnership in a manner that brings sustainable benefits to the people of both countries. Azizi expressed his optimism about the potential for private investment and bilateral trade, aiming to boost it to over USD 1 billion. Key issues such as visas, air and land corridors for trade transit, and the Chabahar port were also discussed during the visit. A commercial attaché from Afghanistan is expected to arrive in India within a month, further solidifying the ties between the two nations.
