India to restart air cargo links with Afghanistan amid Pakistan rift

NEW DELHI: India will soon restart air cargo services with Afghanistan, a move New Delhi sees as unlocking long-stalled trade channels and giving a renewed fillip to bilateral engagement. The announcement was made on Friday during the visit of Afghanistans Taliban Commerce and Industry Minister, Nooruddin Azizi, who is seeking expanded access to Indian markets as Afghanistan grapples with the closure of its border with Pakistan following military clashes. Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary in Indias Ministry of External Affairs who oversees the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran (PAI) division, confirmed that air freight corridors connecting Kabul with Delhi and Amritsar have been activated, with cargo flights expected to begin shortly. This will significantly enhance connectivity and further strengthen our trade and commercial ties, he said during an industry interaction organised by PHDCCI. Prakash added that all Indian formalities are complete and the government is awaiting documentation from the Afghan side before flights can commence. Indian carriers currently do not operate flights to Afghanistan because Pakistan has shut its airspace to them amid heightened IndiaPakistan tensions. Afghan carriers, however, continue to operate passenger services to Delhi, making KabulDelhi cargo flights feasible. Although New Delhi does not formally recognise the Taliban regime, the two sides have accelerated pragmatic engagement in recent months, especially against the backdrop of worsening IndiaPakistan relations. India and Afghanistan have agreed to post trade attachs in each others embassies to facilitate commercial cooperation. The joint working group on trade, commerce and investment, which has remained non-functional since 2021, will also be revived to push bilateral trade beyond the current USD 1 billion. There remains significant scope for further growth, Prakash said, emphasising the need for deeper business-to-business participation. Afghanistan is seeking reliable access to grains, pharmaceuticals and industrial goods from India, particularly as land access through Pakistan remains blocked. Air freight links had been a critical lifeline for Kabul before 2020, enabling the rapid movement of perishables and high-value goods. The latest diplomatic warming follows Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqis visit to New Delhi last month. India has since reopened its embassy in Kabul, signalling a cautious but deliberate rebuilding of channels with a strategically important neighbour.