SNE NETWORK.CHANDIGARH.
This is the first time political talks have taken place between India and the Taliban. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki. After this India has taken a special step. India has allowed 160 trucks from Afghanistan to come through the Attari border. These trucks contain dry fruits and nuts. However, India has not yet formally recognized the Taliban government in Kabul.
Sources have revealed that Pakistan first stopped these trucks at the Wagah border. Later some trucks were allowed to unload goods at Attari. Let us tell you that India closed the Attari-Wagah border on 23 April. A day earlier there was a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Pakistan has previously been allowing one-way trade from Afghanistan to India. Through this, Afghan goods were exported to India, but nothing was sent from India to Afghanistan.
How much trade between the two countries?
India is Afghanistan’s largest export market in South Asia. Trade worth about $1 billion takes place here. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and Afghan Minister Muttaki met on May 15. There are problems in trade due to Pakistan. Still, India is the largest market for Afghan products in South Asia.
Recently, Pakistan once again allowed India to send goods to Afghanistan. This happened at the end of the year 2021. India had proposed to send 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan. People were facing problems due to drought in Afghanistan. The Taliban pressured Pakistan not to stop the supply of wheat.
Thanked Afghanistan
Muttaki called Jaishankar on Thursday. He is going to visit Iran and China soon. India considers this very important. The two leaders talked about staying in touch with each other. Jaishankar thanked Muttaki for showing solidarity with India after the Pahalgam attack. He also thanked Kabul for not falling for Pakistan’s words. Pakistan had claimed that India had fired missiles on Afghanistan.
Relations will gain momentum
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaki in Dubai this year. Since then, India is thinking of resuming its projects in Afghanistan. It is also considering more development projects. India has decided to engage politically with Kabul. This will give further impetus to these efforts.