With Pakistan suspending all trade with India, including to and from any third country through its territory, Afghanistan’s trade with India via the Attari-Wagah border has also come to a halt.

The latest tension between Pakistan and India was triggered by the killing of 26 men at a popular tourist destination in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday, in the worst attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai shootings.

Hindustan Times said on Friday that suspension of trade will affect the local economy, especially small traders and industries, whose livelihood largely depends on this trade.

Located around 28 kms from Amritsar city, this is the only permissible land route allowed for trade between India and Pakistan and crucial for imports from Afghanistan, according to the newspaper.

In August 2019, when India revoked Kashmir’s special status, Pakistan ceased all trade relations with India. The neighbouring country also barred India from exporting goods to Afghanistan, though the import of Afghan goods, such as dry fruits, remained normal, even after the Islamic Emirate took control over the country.

Iranian officials have announced that a 200-member delegation, comprising Afghan government officials and private sector representatives, will attend the 7th International Exhibition of Iran’s Export Capabilities.

Officials from the Islamic Emirate, meanwhile, consider the presence of Afghan traders at this exhibition to be significant, stating that showcasing domestic products will help promote and market Afghan goods.

Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, said: “Economic cooperation between the private and public sectors of Afghanistan and Iran is in the interest of both countries.”

“The visit of the high-ranking delegation of the Islamic Emirate to Iran can play a vital role in expanding economic and trade exchanges between the two countries,” he added.

In addition, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said that 80 booths have been allocated to Afghan traders at the exhibition, where agricultural products, precious stones, and other Afghan goods will be showcased.

Several experts also stated that Afghanistan’s participation in regional and international exhibitions is important and can lead to stronger economic ties with other countries.

This comes as Iran remains one of Afghanistan’s key economic partners, with annual trade volume between the two nations exceeding $3 billion.

Baganch Abdullayev, the General Director of the TAPI project in Afghanistan, on Thursday met with Noor Ahmad Islamjar, the governor of Herat, for a report back on progress made in accelerating the pipeline-laying process of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India project in the province.

The Herat governor’s press office said in a statement that Abdullayev shared a brief report on the progress of the TAPI project with Islamjar.

According to the statement, Abdullayev said so far 14 kms of pipeline has been laid while an additional 24 kms of ground has been levelled for the pipeline.

During the meeting, the governor of Herat also welcomed the efforts of TAPI project officials in advancing the work and assured the project head of the local administration’s full support in facilitating the swift progress of the project.

Once completed, TAPI pipeline will transport natural gas from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India.

The pipeline was completed on the Turkmenistan side in 2024, and the project is currently expanding southbound in Herat Province of Afghanistan.