India and Afghanistan Forge Spice Sector Partnership: High-Level Taliban Delegation Explores Trade Opportunities

This meeting represents one of the highest-level Taliban delegations to visit India since their 2021 takeover of Afghanistan's capital.

New Delhi:

Al-Haj Nooruddin Azizi, Afghanistan's Minister of Industry and Commerce, engaged with representatives from the Spices Board of India during his five-day diplomatic visit to New Delhi. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the spice sector, boosting export volumes, and identifying potential joint investment projects.

Afghanistan's Ministry of Industry and Commerce released a statement on social media platform X noting that Indian officials showed significant interest in deepening collaboration, including proposals to establish spice production facilities in Afghanistan. The talks additionally covered pharmaceutical imports, spice quality enhancement measures, investment possibilities, and challenges affecting medicine trade between the two nations.

"During this meeting, the Indian delegation expressed strong interest, emphasized the necessity of expanding collaborations and increasing spice exports to Afghanistan, and conveyed their readiness for joint investment and establishing spice production facilities in Afghanistan," the Ministry stated on X Saturday evening.

Minister Azizi assured Indian representatives that Afghanistan would provide comprehensive support to established pharmaceutical companies interested in operating within the country.

Both parties agreed to organize delegation exchanges between their respective sectors. Afghan spice industry officials will visit India to tour advanced spice manufacturing facilities, while an Indian delegation will subsequently travel to Kabul to evaluate practical opportunities for establishing pharmaceutical production units and expanding export operations.

The Afghan ministry highlighted that the Indian spice council comprises approximately 57 standardized factories among its membership.

In a follow-up statement on X, the Minister elaborated: "Afghan spice sector officials will visit advanced and reputable spice factories in India, and reciprocally, a delegation from India's spice sector will travel to Kabul to explore practical opportunities for establishing pharmaceutical production facilities in Afghanistan and expanding exports. It's noteworthy that this council includes approximately 57 standard and world-class quality factories as members."

The spice council meeting follows several high-level engagements during Azizi's November 19-23 visit to India.

On Thursday, the Afghan minister met with Jitin Prasada, India's Union Minister of State for Commerce, in New Delhi. "Meeting with H.E. Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi... Discussions reflected a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation," Prasada shared on X.

Earlier in his visit, Azizi also met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Their discussions centered on strengthening bilateral trade, improving connectivity infrastructure, and fostering people-to-people relationships.

"Pleased to meet the Industry and Commerce Minister of Afghanistan, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi in New Delhi this evening and discussed ways to strengthen our trade, connectivity and people-to-people ties. Reiterated India's support for the development and welfare of the people of Afghanistan," Jaishankar wrote.

This visit represents one of the most significant diplomatic engagements between Taliban officials and India since the group's August 2021 takeover of Kabul.

Previously, Afghanistan's Foreign Affairs Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi completed a six-day visit to India in October 2025, marking the highest-level contact between New Delhi and Taliban leadership since 2021.

On Wednesday, Azizi headed a delegation to the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025, aiming to strengthen trade and investment connections between the countries.

During this trade fair visit, Minister Azizi met with Neeraj Kharwal, Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), discussing Afghanistan's participation in future exhibitions. The Minister explored various exhibition booths, including Afghan displays promoting local products, and engaged with traders regarding market access and expansion possibilities.

The trade minister's visit occurs amid growing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan following recent border confrontations that resulted in border closures disrupting export activities.

These developments have prompted Afghanistan to diversify its trade relationships with India, Iran, and Central Asian nations. According to Tolo News, Afghanistan has intensified trade activities with Iran and Central Asian countries as part of a strategy to reduce Pakistani trade dependence.

Afghanistan's Ministry of Industry and Commerce has indicated that the country is utilizing Iran's Chabahar Port to circumvent frequent disruptions at Pakistani borders and mitigate political pressures from Islamabad, redirecting transit arrangements to alternative routes.