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Afghanistan’s Taliban commerce minister, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, arrived in India on Wednesday, marking his first official visit aimed at boosting investment and trade. The visit comes as both nations explore ways to strengthen their relationship amid worsening tensions with neighboring Pakistan.
India recently improved its relationship with the Taliban by reopening its embassy in Kabul, which had been closed after the group took control in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces. Meanwhile, New Delhi is increasing aid to Afghanistan to vie for influence against China’s expanding presence.
According to Afghanistan’s commerce ministry, Azizi will meet with his Indian counterpart, the foreign minister, as well as local traders and investors. The ministry released a statement saying, “These discussions will prioritize expanding economic cooperation, facilitating trade, exploring joint investment opportunities, and enhancing Afghanistan’s role in regional transit routes.”
Landlocked Afghanistan is eager to regain access to essentials like grains, medicines, and industrial goods, especially after its border with Pakistan was recently closed following deadly clashes between the two countries last month.
India manages operations at Iran’s Chabahar port, which has land links to Afghanistan. Last month, the US granted a six-month sanctions exemption to India, allowing continued use of the port and reducing Kabul’s dependency on the Karachi port. Over the past six months, Afghanistan’s trade via Iran has topped $1.6 billion, surpassing the $1.1 billion handled through Pakistan, according to Afghanistan’s commerce ministry.
“The focus of this visit is to advance trade and investment ties between the two countries,” said Randhir Jaiswal, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, on X (formerly Twitter), alongside a photo of Azizi’s arrival in Delhi.
While India and Afghanistan generally enjoy friendly relations, India has not recognized the current Taliban government, given its previous experience with different regimes. Experts suggest that New Delhi and Kabul are recalibrating their diplomatic efforts due to escalating issues with Islamabad.
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