India’s cautious diplomatic re-engagement with Afghanistan has taken on a pragmatic trade dimension — one that could reshape regional air cargo dynamics. The visit of Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to New Delhi in October 2025 marked the first official ministerial-level dialogue since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Beyond its geopolitical symbolism, the visit produced a tangible outcome: a joint trade committee to strengthen bilateral commerce, prioritising agricultural exports, logistics, and transit connectivity. While the political contours remain sensitive, this renewed dialogue has quietly revived discussions on how airfreight can bridge a critical infrastructure gap — particularly for temperature-sensitive perishable exports that underpin Afghanistan’s trade portfolio.
A new trade geometry taking shape
Afghanistan’s export structure remains heavily dependent on primary commodities — notably fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, nuts, and medicinal herbs — products that are highly reliant on cold-chain integrity. According to official Afghan trade data, the country exported approximately 296,000 tonnes of agricultural goods valued at US$143 million during the first 11 months of its fiscal year 2024–25. In total, Afghan exports of fresh and dried fruits together exceeded US$1.16 billion, reflecting the growing role of perishables in its external trade.
India, for its part, exported goods worth US$333 million to Afghanistan in 2024, largely comprising pharmaceuticals, machinery, and processed foods. Agricultural products accounted for a smaller but strategically significant portion — spices, seeds, and onions among them. Together, this creates a complementary trade profile: Afghan produce in high-value perishables, and Indian exports in pharmaceuticals and processed goods that also require controlled-temperature logistics.
Muttaqi’s delegation placed particular emphasis on enhancing air connectivity. With Afghanistan’s access to seaports dependent on overland routes through Pakistan and Iran — both frequently subject to disruption — air cargo represents a crucial link to international markets. For India, expanding these corridors aligns with its broader objective of building multimodal logistics linkages with South and Central Asia under the National Logistics Policy.
In response, External Affairs Minster for Government of India, Mr. S. Jaishankar asserted that “Considering Afghanistan’s pressing requirement for economic recovery and development, both sides agreed that India would further deepen its engagement in development cooperation projects, particularly in the sectors of healthcare, public infrastructure and capacity-building, both in trade and transportation.”
A stabilising bridge
Air cargo provides a distinct comparative advantage in Afghanistan’s trade ecosystem. The country’s rugged topography, limited road network, and lack of access to maritime gateways make speed and reliability decisive for export competitiveness.
The key highlight of this delegation was that both sides welcomed the commencement of the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor, which will further enhance direct trade and commerce between the two countries. The new corridor is expected to streamline connectivity and boost bilateral trade.
Airfreight volumes from Afghanistan have traditionally centred around Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat airports. The earlier “air freight corridor” between Kabul and Delhi, launched in 2017, enabled direct export of Afghan perishables without transiting through Pakistani territory. Between 2017 and 2020, more than 5,000 tonnes of Afghan fresh produce and nuts were flown into India under this initiative, according to government records. The project slowed following the 2021 political transition but demonstrated proof of concept — that high-value perishables could be commercially moved by air if logistics, regulatory and cold-chain frameworks aligned.
India now has the opportunity to build on that template. Its airports at Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad already operate dedicated perishables handling terminals equipped for pharmaceutical and agri-produce cargo. Integrating Afghan traffic into these existing ecosystems would enable temperature-controlled transhipment for onward movement to the Middle East, ASEAN, or Europe — regions where Afghan produce, particularly pomegranates and almonds, command premium prices.
Commercial viability and market potential
Afghanistan’s perishable exports are small in global terms but regionally important. Dried fruits alone accounted for approximately US$518 million in exports during the ten-month period ending March 2025, according to Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment. Fresh fruit exports, particularly pomegranates and grapes, contributed a further US$640 million.
These commodities are highly seasonal, concentrated between August and February — a period that typically coincides with lower overall cargo demand in the subcontinent. Seasonal perishables uplift from Afghanistan could therefore help airlines optimise capacity utilisation, improving yield management on routes that might otherwise face lower load factors.
In parallel, India’s own perishables exports — mangoes, grapes, onions and floriculture products — could use reciprocal lift into Afghan and Central Asian markets. For freight forwarders, integrators and temperature-controlled packaging suppliers, this creates an additional trade lane requiring compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and ISO 22000 standards.
