Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to begin an official visit aimed at strengthening trade and investment ties between the two countries. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) welcomed him, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posting on X that “A warm welcome to Afghan Industry and Commerce Minister, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, on his official visit to India. Advancing bilateral trade and investment ties is the key focus of the visit.”
Azizi is expected to meet senior Indian officials dealing with commerce and industry. His trip is among the most notable visits from the Taliban-led administration to India since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, reflecting New Delhi’s calibrated engagement approach.
Building On Recent Diplomacy
This visit follows Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi’s six-day trip to India in October 2025 — the highest-level interaction between India and the Taliban regime since 2021. During that visit, both countries agreed to establish a joint trade committee to enhance economic cooperation.
“Both sides agreed to create a trade committee… Due to opportunities opened in Afghanistan in terms of investment and activities in minerals and energy, we invited the Indian side to explore work in these areas,” Muttaqi said, as per ANI.
