Indo Aghan Talks on Trade Facilitation Held Without Talk on the Pak Factor Between the Two South Asians

Ø JWG Discusses Trade Facilitation, Customs Cooperation, Connectivity and Investment; Agrees on Follow-up Actions to Strengthen Commercial Engagement

· India and Afghanistan held a virtual Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Trade, Commerce and Investment on 1 September 2026.

· Both sides reviewed bilateral trade and economic cooperation and explored measures to strengthen commercial engagement.

· Discussions covered trade facilitation, customs cooperation and data sharing.

· Other key issues included visa facilitation for Afghan traders, banking and financial cooperation.

· The JWG discussed opportunities in pharmaceuticals, agriculture and energy cooperation.

· Both sides also considered investment promotion, business-to-business engagement and tariff concessions.

· Cargo connectivity and port-related issues were discussed to improve trade flows.

· The two countries agreed on follow-up actions for regulatory cooperation, improved connectivity and stronger institutional engagement.

· Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening India–Afghanistan trade, commerce and investment ties.

[ABS News Service/02.09.2026]

The India–Afghanistan Joint Working Group (JWG) on Trade, Commerce and Investment held its meeting virtually on 1st September 2026. The meeting was attended by officials from India and Afghanistan, including representatives from commerce, industry, customs, regulatory authorities and diplomatic missions.

The two sides reviewed various issues relating to bilateral trade and economic cooperation and discussed measures to further facilitate trade and strengthen commercial engagement between the two countries.

Key areas of discussion included trade facilitation and customs cooperation, visa facilitation for Afghan traders, banking and financial cooperation, pharmaceutical and agricultural trade, energy cooperation, investment and trade promotion, tariff concessions, cargo connectivity and port-related issues.

Both sides agreed to strengthen institutional cooperation and pursue follow-up actions in the identified areas, including enhanced customs and data-sharing cooperation, regulatory cooperation in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, improved trade connectivity, and promotion of investment and business-to-business engagement.

The meeting was held in a warm and constructive atmosphere. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening India–Afghanistan trade, commerce and investment ties and agreed to maintain continued engagement on the issues discussed.