11
India-Afghanistan relations: India and Afghanistan have decided to appoint commercial attachés (commercial advisors) in each other’s capitals to further strengthen bilateral trade.
India-Afghanistan relations: India and Afghanistan have decided to appoint commercial attachés (commercial advisors) in each other’s capitals to further strengthen bilateral trade. At present, the trade between the two countries is more than 1 billion US dollars, emphasis was laid on further promoting it. This decision was taken in a bilateral meeting held between Afghanistan’s Industry and Commerce Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi and India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasad in New Delhi on Thursday. Both sides agreed to increase trade cooperation, investment. Agreed to encourage opportunities and strengthen economic ties. In yesterday’s meeting with the Foreign Minister and the Minister of State for Commerce, both sides agreed to appoint a trade attache to each other’s embassy here soon.
Cargo flights will start soon
Joint Secretary Prakash also said that the air freight corridor has been activated on the Kabul-Delhi sector and Kabul-Amritsar routes. He stressed that cargo flights on these sectors will start very soon. This will significantly increase and strengthen our bilateral trade. The announcement assumes significance as it comes days after Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar directed traders to end trade with Pakistan within three months due to repeated border closures and political misuse of trade routes. India and Afghanistan have also decided to reactivate joint working groups on trade, commerce and investment. Official sources said the move is aimed at boosting bilateral trade from the pre-2021 level of US$1.8 billion by simplifying customs and banking procedures by fully operationalizing the Chabahar port route.
Import-export process will be easier
During the talks, Azizi demanded faster issuance of business visas, starting of regular shipping lines from Chabahar port, development of dry ports in Nimruz province and easing the process of import-export of Afghan goods at Nhava Shewa port. Both sides also agreed to encourage joint investments in pharmaceuticals, cold storage chains, fruit processing units, industrial parks, SME centers and export processing zones. Azizi called for regularly organizing exhibitions, B-2-B meetings and sector-specific conferences in both countries. The Indian side has assured prompt action, including strengthening air cargo links and banking channels, to give new impetus to economic cooperation. Azizi reached New Delhi earlier this week with a high-level delegation on a five-day visit to the country.
Also read: Trump and Mamdani will face each other for the first time, meeting will be held at the White House on this day
