KABUL: Afghan Taliban Trade Minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi arrived in India on Wednesday for his first official visit, aiming to attract greater investments and enhance trade between the two countries. The visit comes amid Afghanistan’s strained relations with neighboring Pakistan and India’s renewed engagement with Kabul.
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India recently reopened its embassy in Kabul, closed since 2021 following the US-led Nato withdrawal, and has been increasing aid to Afghanistan while competing with China for influence in the region. During the visit, Azizi is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart, the foreign minister, as well as traders and investors, to discuss joint investment opportunities and economic cooperation.
Afghanistan, landlocked and facing border closures with Pakistan after recent armed clashes, is seeking access to essential goods including grains, medicines, and industrial products. The ministry noted that trade via Iran in the past six months reached $1.6 billion, surpassing the $1.1 billion exchanged with Pakistan.
“Advancing bilateral trade and investment ties are the key focus of the visit,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry. The talks are expected to cover trade facilitation, investment expansion, and strengthening Afghanistan’s role in regional transit routes.
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The visit underscores India’s growing role in Afghanistan’s economy and its efforts to expand regional influence amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.