Afghanistan pushes for easier business access as trade ties with India deepen
Afghanistan's top trade body has called for expanding economic ties with India, urging easier business procedures, removal of administrative barriers, and streamlined business visa issuance. The proposals were discussed during a meeting between Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) Chairman Sayed Karim Hashemi and Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Yatin Patel in Kabul.
The meeting, described as part of a 'strategic and diplomatic dialogue,' comes amid a sharp decline in Afghanistan's transit trade with neighbouring Pakistan—falling from $5 billion in FY21 to $367 million in FY26—as Kabul shifts to alternative routes, including through Iran.
India has been strengthening connectivity with Afghanistan via Iran's Chabahar port, which allows direct access to the landlocked country while bypassing Pakistan. India-Afghanistan bilateral trade stood at $907.85 million in 2025-26.
According to an ACCI statement, Hashemi reaffirmed commitment to long-term economic cooperation, highlighting the need for trade facilitation and private sector development. He stressed deepening cooperation in agricultural exports, handicrafts, mining, and mineral resources, and proposed expanding market access, improving logistics, and easing visa processes.
Ambassador Patel welcomed the proposals and reaffirmed India's support, noting plans for joint trade exhibitions, business forums, and exchange of trade delegations. Both sides agreed to pursue sustainable cooperation based on transparency, efficiency, and mutual benefit.
India has built the 218-km Zaranj-Delaram highway in western Afghanistan, linking the Iranian border with Afghanistan's ring road network, to facilitate trade and humanitarian supplies—a key part of India's connectivity strategy with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
