Afghanistan-India trade halted following border tensions; Concern about heavy damage

Afghanistan Voice Agency (AVNA) - Kabul: Khanjan Alokozi, a member of the board of directors of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, expressed concern over the closure of the Atari-Wagha border, a vital trade route between Afghanistan and India. He said that following the blockade, the process of transporting imported goods to Afghanistan through Karachi port has also been stopped and Pakistan is preventing the transit of these goods.

 

Khanjan Alokozi said the Wagha border had been completely closed for the past three days following escalating security tensions between Pakistan and India.

 

According to Alokozi, the Agha border was considered a strategic, short and cost-effective transit route for Afghan exports to India, and about 80 percent of commercial goods, including dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, were exported through it.

 

Alokozi pointed to the boom in Afghanistan's trade with India in recent years, adding that Afghanistan's annual trade volume with India is more than $500 million and the closure of the border will undoubtedly lead to a decrease in this amount.

 

He considered the disruption of trade with India as a serious issue and said: Currently, not only the export of commercial goods to India has stopped, but also the import of goods from Karachi to Afghanistan has been interrupted and Pakistan does not allow transit shipments to pass.

 

Mr. Al-Kuzi warned that if the situation continues and tensions between India and Pakistan do not subside, Afghanistan will be forced to seek alternatives. However, he said, there is no suitable alternative to the Agha border and other routes are much longer and more expensive.

 

The board member of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment stressed the obvious damage caused by the closure of the border in the past three days, adding: Traders who were engaged in exporting dried and fresh fruits and vegetables to India are now forced to use other routes to continue their business until the situation is clarified.

 

Afghanistan's trade with India has been suspended due to ongoing tensions in Kashmir. The Atari-Wagha border, the only land crossing authorized for this trade, has been closed due to the suspension of trade relations between India and Pakistan, which will have a significant negative impact on trade between Afghanistan and India.

 

The route is also of great importance for importing goods from India to Afghanistan and its closure will severely affect the activities of traders. While businesses are looking for alternatives, economic problems for small businesses and industries will remain serious.