Our Bureau
New Delhi
Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, Afghanistan’s Taliban government is making a robust economic overture to India, seeking to dramatically expand bilateral trade, investment, and diplomatic ties. Afghanistan’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, during his maiden visit to India, declared that Kabul is “open for business” and ready to ensure full security for Indian diplomats and investments. Bilateral trade, currently at $1 billion, is considered far below potential, and the Taliban administration is eager to find new ways to boost commerce, including subsidizing airlines and exploring sea and land routes beyond Pakistan.
The backdrop of Azizi’s visit includes recent border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan that have halted trade and left thousands of trucks stranded, prompting Afghanistan to temporarily pause imports of medicines from Pakistan. In response, Kabul is pursuing alternatives such as the India-Afghanistan Air Corridor, with plans to lower tariffs and encourage Indian investment in freight to make trade cheaper and more predictable. Furthermore, Afghanistan is looking into sea routes via Iran’s Chabahar port and land routes through Central Asia to diversify its economic connections and reduce dependency on Pakistan.
Azizi highlighted Afghanistan’s vast mineral and rare earth deposits as an area of Indian interest, welcoming Indian companies to participate under Afghanistan’s regulations. He also announced plans to dispatch a commercial attaché to New Delhi within a month and is working on appointing new ambassadors to enhance diplomatic presence. The Taliban government claims that security conditions are stable, with measures underway to dismantle blast walls around the Indian embassy in Kabul.
Reaffirming a desire for peaceful relations with India, Azizi emphasized Afghanistan’s wish to avoid bloodshed in response to recent terror attacks in India. He also invited Indian women-focused businesses to collaborate with Afghan women entrepreneurs and extended formal invitations to Indian ministers for a visit to Afghanistan next year. This outreach signifies a strategic attempt by the Taliban to position India as a key economic partner amidst shifting regional dynamics and heightened Pakistan tensions.
