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India and Afghanistan have agreed on follow-up measures to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including enhanced customs and data-sharing cooperation, improved trade connectivity and regulatory coordination in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, the Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday.
The India-Afghanistan Joint Working Group (JWG) on Trade, Commerce and Investment held a virtual meeting on Tuesday to review measures to facilitate trade and deepen commercial engagement between the two countries. The discussions covered trade facilitation, customs cooperation, visa facilitation for Afghan traders, banking and financial cooperation, pharmaceutical and agricultural trade, energy cooperation, investment promotion, tariff concessions, cargo connectivity and port-related issues. As part of the follow-up, the two sides agreed to strengthen customs and data-sharing cooperation, improve regulatory coordination in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, enhance trade connectivity, and promote investment and business-to-business engagement. The Commerce Ministry said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening India-Afghanistan trade, commerce and investment ties and agreed to maintain continued engagement on the issues discussed. The latest meeting builds on the two countries' ongoing economic engagement. In July, India and Afghanistan held the fourth round of their Joint Committee Meeting in New Delhi, where the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including cooperation in trade, visa and connectivity, along with humanitarian assistance, development partnership, food security, healthcare, capacity building, education and sports. India reiterated its commitment to supporting the welfare and development needs of the Afghan people, while the Afghan side appreciated India's continued support and cooperation. The focus on trade facilitation and connectivity comes as both sides look to deepen commercial engagement across multiple areas, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy and investment. According to official data, India's total trade with Afghanistan stood at USD 907.85 million in 2025-26, with exports at USD 253.63 million and imports at USD 654.22 million. India accounted for 0.06 per cent of Afghanistan's total exports and 0.08 per cent of its imports during the year. (ANI)
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