NEW DELHI: India and Afghanistan are set to launch air cargo services soon, an Indian foreign ministry official said on Friday, marking a step to reset ties amid worsening relations with Pakistan. The announcement came during a visit by Afghanistan’s Taliban Trade Minister Nooruddin Azizi, who urged India to boost trade and open cargo hubs to provide essential goods.
Read More: India, Afghanistan set to launch air cargo corridor
The new air freight corridors between Kabul and Delhi, as well as the northern Indian city of Amritsar, have been “activated,” with cargo flights expected to operate “very soon,” said Anand Prakash, joint secretary at India’s foreign ministry. He added that all formalities on the Indian side were complete, pending the completion of paperwork from Afghanistan.
Indian carriers do not currently operate passenger flights to Afghanistan, as Pakistan has closed its airspace to them amid escalating tensions with New Delhi. Afghan airlines, however, maintain regular passenger connections between Kabul and Delhi.
While India does not officially recognise the Taliban government that took power after the 2021 US-led NATO withdrawal, both countries have moved quickly in recent months to recalibrate ties. Experts note that deteriorating India-Pakistan relations and concerns over China’s influence in Afghanistan have prompted closer engagement with Kabul.
Read More: Afghan Taliban trade minister visits India to boost ties
The growing cooperation follows Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to New Delhi last month—the first by a Taliban leader since 2021—and India’s reopening of its embassy in Kabul, which had been closed following the Taliban takeover.