Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, landed in the Delhi on a five-day visit that signals one of Kabul’s strongest economic overtures since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
This visit marks a major regional realignment, with Afghanistan actively redirecting its commerce away from Pakistan, its historically dominant transit corridor, towards India and Iran’s Chabahar port.
For New Delhi, the visit provides a rare opening to reassert influence in Afghanistan through trade and connectivity, even without formal diplomatic recognition of the Taliban.
At stake is Afghanistan’s ability to keep its agricultural export economy afloat amid border closures and sanctions, and India’s ability to secure reliable access to the country’s high-value perishables, from figs to saffron, while expanding pharmaceutical and manufacturing exports back into the Afghan market.
Heavy Agenda
The acting minister, accompanied by a large team will hold talks with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and senior officials across multiple ministries. Azizi is also expected to attend the India International Trade Fair (IITF).
According to Afghan officials, discussions will focus on: Expanding bilateral trade volumes, particularly agricultural exports to India; increasing 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.
This is the second Taliban cabinet-rank visit to India in less than a month, following the October trip by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and underlines the seriousness of Kabul’s push.
Cargo Rates Cut
Afghanistan’s national carrier Ariana announced a dramatic cut in air cargo tariffs exclusively for India just days before Azizi’s departure. Ariana’s Director General, Mawlawi Bakhturahman Sharafat, confirmed that: “Rates from Delhi to Kabul have dropped from $2/kg to 80 cents/kg and rates from Kabul to Delhi are now $1/kg.”
Sharafat called the discount “unprecedented” and stated that no other foreign destination has received similar concessions, framing it as a strategic gesture to strengthen economic links with India.
Pakistan’s border closures have crippled Afghan trade. The Torkham border, which normally handles roughly 40% of Afghan trade, has been shut for nearly 45 days following military tensions. Afghan officials estimate losses of $200 million per month.
Kabul retaliated by suspending its own trade with Pakistan, deepening the rupture and forcing Afghan traders to reroute thousands of tonnes of perishables.
Afghanistan’s trade with Iran has surged past $1.6 billion in six months, overtaking volumes with Pakistan for the first time. A US sanctions waiver on Chahbahar will enable India-Afghan trade for six more months.
Despite India’s reduced exports to Afghanistan post-2021, Afghan agricultural shipments have grown sharply. India now buys: Figs, raisins, apples, asafoetida (hing), garlic, saffron, nuts, pomegranates, apricots, and walnuts.
For Afghan farmers, India is the most profitable destination after Central Asia.
Afghanistan’s export economy, built heavily on perishables, depends on fast, cold-chain-compatible transport. Air routes to India bypass Pakistan entirely and can operate regardless of border politics.
India’s Strategic Stakes
While India remains cautious about formally recognizing the Taliban, it has steadily expanded practical engagement. It has reopened its embassy in Kabul and continued humanitarian and food aid. It has also restarted development dialogue in healthcare, public infrastructure, and capacity building.
For India, deepening trade through air routes and Chabahar enhances regional connectivity, reduces Pakistan’s role as a gatekeeper, strengthens India’s footprint in a strategically sensitive region and helps Indian exporters (especially pharma) regain lost markets.
Cargo Arrivals
Afghanistan exported 296,000 tonnes of agricultural goods in the first 11 months of FY 2024–25, worth $143 million, much of it destined for India. Dried fruits alone represent over $518 million, while fresh fruits contribute another $640 million.
The new dedicated cargo flights announced last month: Delhi–Kabul, Amritsar–Kabul, and Amritsar–Kandahar, will significantly accelerate:
Perishable shipments from Kandahar (pomegranates, grapes); Dry fruits and nuts from Kabul; Spices, herbs and medicinal plants.
India’s cargo hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad already have pharmaceutical-grade cold-chain facilities, positioning them to handle Afghan perishables and re-export to third-country markets.
India’s exports to Afghanistan have fallen from $825 million in 2020–21 to $355 million in 2023–24, due to sanctions, banking restrictions, and route closures. Both sides hope Azizi’s visit will help correct this imbalance.
Azizi’s Delhi mission could trigger three major shifts: A formalized India–Afghanistan air freight corridor 2.0, restoring what was lost after 2021; expanded Chabahar-based trilateral logistics, reducing reliance on Pakistan to near-zero; and a joint trade committee to steer investment, especially in minerals, energy and agri-processing.
