India and Afghanistan are preparing to resume cargo flights and deepen trade ties, Indian officials announced, as Taliban Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi continues his five-day visit to the country — the second such trip by a senior Taliban official in two months.
Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary for the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters in New Delhi on Friday that cargo flights between Delhi and Kabul, as well as Amritsar and Kabul, will soon resume, marking a key step in restoring trade connectivity between the two countries.
Prakash also said that the two sides would appoint trade attachés in each other’s embassies to “reactivate trade mechanisms” and facilitate smoother bilateral commerce.
While India does not officially recognize the Taliban government, it has maintained functional engagement, particularly on humanitarian aid and trade matters.
During his visit, Azizi is expected to meet India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, on Monday.
In separate remarks, Azizi called on Afghan Sikhs and Hindus to return to Afghanistan and take part in rebuilding the country. The minority communities largely left Afghanistan in recent years due to escalating insecurity and political upheaval. His remarks come as UN has reported various violation of minorities rights by the Taliban over the past year. All Hindus and Sikh Afghans have left the country after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Their number was shrinking even during previous governments.
Azizi’s visit follows increasing Taliban efforts to diversify trade partnerships as relations with Pakistan — traditionally Afghanistan’s main trade conduit — have deteriorated sharply in recent months, including the closure of key border crossings and restrictions on Afghan goods.
India, which invested heavily in infrastructure and development projects in Afghanistan during the previous government, has gradually increased its engagement with the Taliban.
