Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, beginning a five-day official visit focused on advancing trade and investment cooperation between India and Afghanistan.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) extended a cordial welcome, underscoring the importance of the visit in reviving bilateral economic engagement under complex political circumstances.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a post on X, stated that the central aim of the visit was to strengthen trade and investment ties.

Azizi’s schedule includes meetings with senior Indian officials involved in commerce and industry, alongside participation in the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025, one of the country’s largest platforms for international business engagement.

His presence there highlights Kabul’s efforts to attract Indian trade partners and investors to Afghanistan’s developing industrial and resource sectors.

This visit represents one of the most significant official-level interactions between India and the Taliban-led Afghan administration since the latter’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021.

It follows a prior visit by Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, who travelled to India in October 2025 for high-level discussions aimed at deepening economic ties and rebuilding confidence after years of diplomatic strain.

During his visit to New Delhi, Muttaqi confirmed that both sides had agreed to establish a joint trade committee dedicated to promoting commercial and investment collaboration. He also invited investment in Afghanistan’s mineral and energy sectors, citing new business opportunities that the country hopes will attract Indian participation.

The move reflected Kabul’s efforts to position itself as a key regional partner for economic cooperation despite the absence of formal diplomatic recognition from most major nations.

Following these talks, India announced the restoration of its Technical Mission in Kabul to full embassy status, signalling a major shift in its engagement policy with Afghanistan. The MEA said that the decision reflected India’s commitment to expand bilateral engagement across areas of mutual interest, particularly economic development, humanitarian support, and skill-building initiatives.

This change was formally confirmed by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his meeting with Muttaqi, marking the most tangible diplomatic step by New Delhi towards re-establishing structured bilateral relations since 2021.

The MEA statement further clarified that India’s Embassy in Kabul would continue to serve as a channel for developmental cooperation, focusing on humanitarian assistance and capacity-building efforts aligned with Afghan priorities.

Such measures form part of India’s long-term vision of maintaining a people-oriented engagement with Afghanistan, concentrating on stability, reconstruction, and inclusive development.

Azizi’s visit is therefore viewed as an extension of the gradual normalisation process between the two nations. It signals Kabul’s intent to rebuild trade routes and revive its export economy, with India regarded as a vital market and investment partner.

For New Delhi, this outreach offers strategic and economic leverage in maintaining influence in Afghanistan amidst competing regional interests, particularly from China and Pakistan.

Discussions during Azizi’s visit are expected to examine potential arrangements for enhancing bilateral trade volumes, improving connectivity, and identifying collaborative projects in key sectors such as mining, energy, and infrastructure.

India’s participation in Afghanistan’s economic revival aligns with its strategic aim of promoting stability in the broader South Asian neighbourhood while ensuring secure access to vital resources and trade corridors.

Based On ANI Report