Overview

• India closed the Attari-Wagah border following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, prompting Pakistan to suspend all trade with India, including third-country transit.
• The closure has halted over $500 million in annual trade via Afghanistan’s shortest and most economical route to India, stranding 50 trucks at Wagah and diverting 100 more.
• Afghan dry-fruit imports, valued at $358 million annually, are severely impacted, with domestic prices of almonds and pistachios rising by 10–25%.
• Importers are considering Iran’s Chabahar Port as an alternative, but the route is more expensive, time-consuming, and may delay fresh stock by months.
• The Taliban government and the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce have expressed concerns over the economic fallout, with perishable goods at risk of spoilage.