India is set to launch air cargo services to Afghanistan in the coming weeks, a move aimed at strengthening trade ties as both countries recalibrate relations amid growing tensions with neighboring Pakistan. The announcement came during a visit to New Delhi by Afghanistan’s Taliban Trade Minister, Nooruddin Azizi.
The air freight corridors connecting Delhi and the northern Indian city of Amritsar with Kabul have been “activated,” with flights expected to operate “very soon,” Anand Prakash, joint secretary at India’s foreign ministry, told Reuters. “All formalities from our side are over. We are waiting for all the papers from their side … Once they complete them, the cargo flights will start,” he said at an India-Afghanistan business conference.
The initiative comes as Afghanistan seeks access to essential goods including grains, medicines, and industrial products, following the closure of its border with Pakistan due to military clashes. Indian airlines do not currently operate passenger flights to Afghanistan, as Pakistan has blocked their airspace amid escalating tensions with New Delhi. Afghan carriers, however, maintain regular passenger connections to India.
While India does not officially recognize the Taliban government, relations have been moving swiftly toward practical engagement. Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited New Delhi last month—the first visit by a Taliban leader since the group came to power in 2021. India has also reopened its embassy in Kabul, which had been closed since the Taliban takeover.
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Experts attribute the rapprochement partly to deteriorating ties with Pakistan and India’s concerns over growing Chinese influence in Afghanistan. By facilitating trade and logistics links, India aims to secure its interests in the region while supporting Afghanistan’s economic needs.
The new air cargo services are expected to enhance trade efficiency and provide Kabul with alternative routes for essential goods, bypassing Pakistan’s land borders. Observers say this development reflects a broader strategic shift in South Asia as India and Afghanistan seek to strengthen bilateral economic and diplomatic cooperation.