Overview
- An Indian foreign ministry official said the reactivated corridors are ready, with cargo flights to start very soon once Afghan paperwork is completed.
- Both sides agreed to post trade or commercial attachés in each other’s embassies and to revive the Joint Working Group on Trade, Commerce and Investment to grow business beyond roughly $1 billion.
- Afghanistan invited Indian investment with incentives including a 1% tariff on raw materials and machinery, free land allocations, reliable power supply and proposed five‑year tax exemptions for new industries.
- Kabul and New Delhi are increasing reliance on Iran’s Chabahar port as a Pakistan bypass, helped by a recently extended U.S. sanctions waiver that permits Indian operations there.
- Pakistan’s border closures and airspace restrictions have curtailed land and airline options for India, while Afghan carriers continue Kabul–Delhi passenger flights that can support cargo operations.