Taliban Offers $1Bn Trade Deal to India as Pakistan Route Completely Collapses
Afghan minister woos New Delhi with security guarantees and mining deals.
Afghanistan's acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi concluded a five-day visit to India on Monday with a clear message: Kabul is aggressively open for business with New Delhi and ready to bypass traditional Pakistan transit routes. Meeting Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Azizi pledged to elevate bilateral trade toward the one-billion-dollar mark through new air, sea, and Central Asian corridors.
In an exclusive interview, Azizi announced that Afghanistan will subsidise freight costs on the India-Afghanistan Air Corridor and welcomes Indian private investment in the route. He confirmed that minor irritants including visa delays and high air tariffs have already been resolved during this visit, paving the way for smoother movement of Afghan dry fruits, fresh produce, and Indian pharmaceuticals and machinery.
The Taliban administration is actively courting Indian companies for its vast mineral and rare-earth deposits, promising equal access under Afghan regulations and emphasising India's technological advantage. Azizi revealed that a commercial attaché will be posted to New Delhi within one month, while ambassadorial appointments are under discussion, marking the strongest diplomatic reset since the 2021 takeover.
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Security assurances formed a cornerstone of Kabul's outreach. Azizi stated that full protection is guaranteed for Indian diplomats and investors, with blast walls around the embassy being removed as proof of improved ground reality. He extended formal invitations to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Goyal to visit Afghanistan next summer and urged Indian businesses, including women-led enterprises, to explore partnerships supported by a newly strengthened Afghan women's chamber of commerce.
The high-level engagement comes amid a complete breakdown of Afghanistan-Pakistan trade after recent border clashes, with Kabul now redirecting imports and exports toward Iran’s Chabahar port and Central Asia. Describing political tensions as temporary, Azizi stressed that diversifying away from Pakistan has become an economic imperative, positioning India as the preferred partner in Kabul's recalibrated regional strategy.
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