India, Afghanistan ink deal to reopen air corridor: Reports

The air corridor between India and Afghanistan has been reopened and the trade between the countries would resume, officials in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Kabul said, according to Bakhtar News Agency.

The trade between Kabul and New Delhi was halted after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year.

Afghanistan’s commerce ministry spokesperson Abdul Salam Jaweed said India and Afghanistan signed a trade agreement on Monday.

India has been a major importer of Afghani saffron, dry fruits, and asafoetida plant. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) hoped that trade of these goods would be conducted through the air corridor.

The resumption of the air corridor was welcomed by Afghan traders who are hopeful that India would be a good market for its products.

“We need to export some of the commodities via the air corridor. However, we currently export pine nuts to India and UAE through an air corridor,” The Tolo news quoted Mohammad Younus Momand, head of the ACCI, as saying.

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Another trader Mahbobullah Mohammadi opined, “Over the past several years, it has been proven that India has been the major market for Afghan products, particularly dry fruits.”

Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi told Bakhtar News Agency that Afghanistan is looking to sell wheat to India.

The export of Afghan goods to India has increased exponentially this year, compared to the preceding year.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, 30,000 tonnes of handicrafts have been exported from Afghanistan to India in 2022.

Though India has not officially recognised the Taliban to be the legitimate ruler of Afghanistan, it has been helping the crisis-hit country by sending aid like vaccines, food and medicines.

(With inputs from agencies)

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