 "India-Afghanistan ties: Taliban trade minister lands in Delhi today on 5-day tour")
Taliban’s trade minister Nooruddin Azizi will on Wednesday arrive in India on a five-day visit.
Azizi’s visit, which follows last month’s visit by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, will be one of the highest-level engagements between the two countries since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.
India is the second-largest export market for Afghanistan. Since the Taliban takeover, the India-Afghan trade has shifted in favour of Afghanistan with Afghan imports reducing and exports rising. India currently imports much more than it exports to Afghanistan.
During his visit, Azizi will hold talks with Indian trade officials. He will also likely attend the India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Delhi.
Last month, during his visit to India, Muttaqi had said that India and Taliban would form committees to boost trade.
“Both sides agreed to create a trade committee… Due to opportunities opened in Afghanistan in terms of investment and activities in minerals and energy, we invited the Indian side to explore work in these areas,” said Muttaqi at the time.
Muttaqi highlighted the potential for increased business and investment ties between the two countries.
The nature of India-Afghanistan trade has changed in recent years since the Taliban’s takeover. The balance of trade has moved in Taliban’s favour.
IN 2020-21, India exported $825.78 million worth of goods to Afghanistan and imported goods worth $509.49 million. But Indian exports fell sharply to $554.47 million in 2021-22, $437.05 million in 2022-23, and $355.45 million in 2023-24. On the other hand, Afghan imports into India have steadily risen.
Quick Reads
View All| Period | Indian Exports (USD millions) | Imports from Afghanistan (USD millions) | Total Trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 (Pre-Taliban) | 997.58 | 530 | 1,527.58 |
| 2020-21 | 825.78 | 509.49 | 1,335.27 |
| 2021-22 | 554.47 | 510.93 | 1,066.40 |
| 2022-23 | 437.05 | 452.81 | 889.86 |
| 2023-24 | 355.45 | 642.29 | 997.74 |
| 2024-25 | 318.91 | 689.81 | 1,008.72 |
India’s imports are almost entirely agricultural where exports —even if reduced— span from pharmaceutical to textiles and machinery. In 2023-24, India’s top imports were figs, asafoetida (hing), raisins, apples, garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, almonds, apricots, onions, pomegranates, and walnuts.
Since the Taliban takeover, India-Afghanistan trade has been affected by the closure of India-Pakistan border and Pakistan-Afghanistan border because of Pakistan’s worsening relationships with India and the Taliban. Afghan banks and financial institutions have also been cut from international payment mechanisms like SWIFT, which has made trade difficult.
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