Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi concluded his week long visit to India today. External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that during the visit, Minister Azizi met External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Both Ministers discussed bilateral ties, connectivity and people to people exchanges.
Minister Azizi held delegation level talks with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. They discussed a broad range of issues, including trade facilitation, market access, connectivity, and capacity-building. They announced the initiation of the Air Freight Corridor on the Kabul-Delhi and Kabul-Amritsar sectors. Both Ministers welcomed the reactivation of the Joint Working Group on Trade, Commerce and Investment and agreed to explore opportunities for collaboration in mining and other high-value sectors. India and Afghanistan will depute Commercial Representatives at their respective Embassies and institutionalize a Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Minister Azizi also visited the India International Trade Fair, where several Afghan traders had set up stalls. He interacted with various exhibitors and toured the cultural display at the IITF. His delegation held meetings with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council, Cotton Corporation of India, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and ASSOCHAM. They discussed modalities for the long term supply of agricultural products, medicines, and other essential commodities to Afghanistan.
