Afghan commerce minister seeks support for exports, imports from India

New Delhi: Afghanistan's industry and commerce minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi is on a five-day visit to India to seek expansion in trade ties, including export of Afghan agro products, amid tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.

Afghan officials said that both sides are likely to discuss issues related to expanding bilateral trade volumes, especially agricultural exports to India; boosting Indian exports of pharmaceuticals, machinery and textiles; establishing more reliable transport corridors through air cargo routes and Iran's Chabahar port; restoring payment channels disrupted since Afghan banks lost access to SWIFT; and reviving the earlier India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor.

Azizi's visit comes within two months of Afghanistan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit here that opened a new chapter in ties, with India upgrading its diplomatic mission in Kabul. Pakistan, upset over Kabul's growing ties with India, launched cross-border military strikes. Kabul reciprocated and peace talks have yielded little results.


Azizi is visiting at a time when Pakistan has shut its land border after the clashes, causing heavy losses to Afghan exports such as fruits. The Taliban regime has advised its traders to diversify their trade to other countries.

NSA Doval Meets B'desh Peer

National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval on Wednesday met his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi.

The NSAs discussed the work of the Colombo Security Conclave. Rahman also invited his Indian counterpart to visit Bangladesh. The meeting comes just two days after the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death.