Taliban commerce minister visits India to bolster trade ties

India ITPO managing director Neeraj Kharwal met Azizi, briefed him on facilities at fair and opportunities for Afghanistan to participate in future exhibitions

Published on: Nov 19, 2025, 23:57:31 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

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New Delhi: The Taliban’s industry and commerce minister, Nooruddin Azizi, is on a five-day visit to India to bolster trade and investment cooperation, becoming the second senior figure from the regime in Kabul to travel to the country in a little more than a month.

Afghan industry and commerce minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi visits the 44th India International Trade Fair. (ANI Video Grab)

A delegation led by visited the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025 on Wednesday. Managing director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) Neeraj Kharwal met Azizi and briefed him on facilities at the fair and opportunities for Afghanistan to participate in future exhibitions.

“Advancing bilateral trade and investment ties is the key focus of the visit,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media.

Azizi toured stalls at the fair, including those showcasing Afghan products. He also interacted with Afghan traders in India to discuss market access and expansion prospects, the people said.

This was the first visit by an Afghan functionary to the ITPO since 2021, and came against the backdrop of escalating Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions, including border closures by Islamabad that have disrupted exports. This has prompted Afghanistan to look at diversifying trade with India, the people said.

Key Indian exports to Afghanistan include pharmaceuticals, textiles, machinery, and food items such as sugar, tea and rice, while imports include agricultural products and minerals.

Following a visit by Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in October, India upgraded its technical mission in Kabul to the status of a full embassy status.

The Taliban setup is also eyeing Indian investments in mining and hydroelectric projects, and exploring avenues to bypass Pakistan for enhanced connectivity, the people said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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