Afghan minister’s India outreach marks fresh reset amid Pakistan tensions

A month after Taliban-led Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi travelled to New Delhi, a high-level Afghan delegation is back — this time led by Industry and Commerce Minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi.

The minister is on a five-day visit during which he is expected to meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to push for stronger Indo-Afghan trade cooperation, signalling a steady recalibration of ties.

On November 19, Azizi toured the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025, becoming the first Afghan minister to visit the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) complex since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

He was received by ITPO Managing Director Neeraj Kharwal, who briefed him on the fair’s ongoing exhibitions, facilities and potential avenues for Afghan participation in future editions.

Azizi walked through several pavilions, including Afghan stalls showcasing local products, and engaged with Afghan traders operating in India. The discussions focused on widening market access, boosting exports and identifying fresh commercial opportunities at a time when Afghanistan’s trade corridors through Pakistan remain strained.

The visit comes against the backdrop of rising Afghanistan–Pakistan tensions — including repeated border closures that have disrupted Afghan exports. Kabul has responded by stepping up outreach to New Delhi, seeking to diversify trade, secure alternative connectivity routes and draw investments into mining and hydroelectric projects.

India currently exports pharmaceuticals, textiles, machinery and food staples such as sugar, tea and rice to Afghanistan, while Afghan imports to India primarily include agricultural produce and minerals.

Diplomatically, the engagement dovetails with India’s decision in October 2025 to upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to full embassy status — a significant step toward normalising ties since the Taliban seized power in 2021. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced the upgrade during his first meeting with Muttaqi on October 10.

Azizi’s visit, coupled with the evolving diplomatic track, underscores Kabul’s intent to expand economic ties with India and reduce its dependence on Pakistan-controlled corridors — a shift with potentially lasting regional implications.