KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced that Afghanistan’s trade with India has reached around $650 million over the past 10 months, with $477 million in exports and $203 million in imports.
In a post on X on Saturday, November 9, Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, the ministry’s spokesperson, stated that Afghanistan’s main exports to India included dried figs, raisins, saffron, green cumin, and almonds.
According to Akhundzada, the main items imported from India over the past 10 months were sugar, raw materials for industrial factories, new clothing, and roasted chickpeas.
This announcement comes after the recent visit of a high-level Indian delegation led by J.P. Singh, the country’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, who held talks with Taliban officials, including foreign minister and defense minister.
According to Taliban Ministry of Defense, the purpose of the visit was to discuss political and economic matters, as well as the potential for expanding bilateral relations. The delegation also discussed issues related to the Chabahar port and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
Despite closing its embassy and consulate in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, India has developed a positive relationship with the regime and increased its engagement in recent months.
Recently in an interview with the Indian news outlet News 18TV, the Taliban Defense Minister, Mawlawi Yaqub Mujahid, expressed his interest in sending Taliban armed forces to India for training purposes.
Historically, Pakistan and India have regarded each other’s roles in Afghanistan with suspicion. Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban remains strained due to the issue of Tahrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which shares ideological and personal alignment with the Taliban and recently killed dozens of Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering the leader and members of the militant group, as well as providing advanced military equipment for launching cross-border attacks, a claim which the Taliban has denied.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and Afghanistan, long-time trading partners, have recently experienced tensions and armed clashes along their border. These conflicts have resulted in several border closures, leading to significant losses for traders in both countries.
