Restarting Air Corridors
India and Afghanistan are set to resume direct air cargo flights from Delhi and Amritsar to Kabul, bypassing Pakistan’s airspace restrictions and border closures imposed after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack. Announced during Afghan Commerce Minister Al-Haj Nooruddin Azizi’s five-day visit to New Delhi in November 2025, the corridor aims to facilitate the swift movement of Afghan fruits, grains, and produce, alongside Indian medicines, machinery, and textiles. With all formalities completed, flights are expected to commence imminently, reviving a route disrupted by Pakistan’s blockade that had stranded traders and delayed exports.
Evolution of India-Afghanistan Relations
Historical Foundations (Pre-2021)
· 1950: India formally recognizes Afghanistan, establishing full diplomatic relations.
· 2001–2014: India invests over $3 billion in infrastructure and development projects, including Salma Dam, Parliament building, roads, hospitals, alongside scholarships and wheat aid.
· 2011: Strategic Partnership Agreement signed; India pledges $2 billion for reconstruction.
· 2016: India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor inaugurated, enhancing trade in perishables.
Taliban Takeover and Initial Freeze (2021–2024)
· August 2021: Taliban captures Kabul; India evacuates embassy staff, downgrades mission.
· 2021–2023: Humanitarian aid continues—over 1 million tons of wheat and medical supplies—delivered via UN/WFP; informal diplomatic contacts through SCO/Doha.
· June 2022: NSA Ajit Doval holds first high-level engagement with Taliban at SCO in Samarkand.
· 2023: Operationalization of Chabahar Port provides Pakistan-independent Afghan transit; $800,000 aid sent for earthquake relief.
2025 Reset and Expansion
· January 2025: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri meets Taliban FM Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai; discusses development aid.
· April 2025: Pakistan closes Attari-Wagah border post-Pahalgam attack, stalling air cargo corridor.
· October 2025: Muttaqi’s historic Delhi visit—the first since Taliban takeover; India condemns Pakistan-linked TTP strikes, pledges infrastructure support, upgrades embassy.
· November 2025: Azizi’s trade-focused Delhi visit finalizes cargo flights and Chabahar synergies; targets $1.5 billion trade potential.
Strategic and Economic Benefits
Trade Acceleration: Air cargo reduces delivery times from weeks by land to hours, enabling fresh Afghan produce and Indian exports to flow efficiently.
Economic Leverage: India gains access to Afghan minerals, rare earths, and strategic trade routes, while reducing dependence on Pakistan-controlled pathways.
Diplomatic Significance: Demonstrates India’s multi-alignment strategy, engaging the Taliban economically without formal recognition, reinforcing its role as Kabul’s reliable partner.
Regional Influence: Strengthens India’s position in Central Asia, aligning with Chabahar Port and INSTC initiatives, signaling resilience against blockades and enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation.
Connectivity as Geopolitical Strategy
The resumption of India-Afghanistan air cargo flights underscores India’s pragmatic engagement policy—prioritizing trade, development, and strategic access despite complex regional dynamics. By circumventing Pakistan, India not only revives stalled commerce but also reinforces its geopolitical leverage in Central Asia, secures supply chains, and consolidates humanitarian and economic ties with Afghanistan. This initiative reflects a sophisticated balance of economic diplomacy, security priorities, and multi-alignment strategy, positioning India as a steadfast partner in an increasingly isolated Kabul while advancing Atmanirbhar trade objectives.
(With agency inputs)
