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India is preparing to restart air cargo services with Afghanistan, an External Affairs Ministry official announced on Friday during the visit of Afghanistan's Taliban Trade Minister Al-Haj Nooruddin Azizi to New Delhi.
Following the announcement, Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed that the groundwork for resuming cargo flights has been completed. "I am pleased to announce that the air freight corridor on the Kabul-Delhi sector and Kabul-Amritsar routes have been activated and cargo flights on these sectors will come very soon," he said. Azizi is in India on a five-day visit aimed at strengthening trade ties, with a particular focus on agricultural exports, as Afghanistan looks to broaden its economic partnerships amid ongoing tensions with Pakistan. His meetings in New Delhi are expected to revolve around increasing trade volumes, expanding market access for Afghan produce, and boosting Indian exports of pharmaceuticals, machinery and textiles. Afghan officials indicated that the agenda also includes discussions on improving transportation routes through air cargo links and Iran's Chabahar port. Additionally, both sides are likely to review ways to restore payment systems disrupted after Afghan banks were cut off from SWIFT and explore reopening the earlier India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor. Azizi's trip comes shortly after Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited New Delhi less than two months ago, marking a shift in engagement and aligning with India's move to enhance its diplomatic presence in Kabul. At the same time, Pakistan has reacted strongly to Kabul's growing outreach to India. Cross-border military exchanges between Pakistan and Afghanistan have intensified recently, with efforts at negotiations yielding limited progress. The timing of the visit is also significant as Pakistan's land border closure following recent clashes has severely affected Afghan trade, particularly exports of perishable items such as fruits. With the primary land route blocked, Afghan traders have suffered heavy losses. In light of these disruptions, the Taliban authorities have urged traders to diversify export markets and reduce dependence on Pakistan. (ANI)
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