India, Afghan all set to trade through air

Sky is the limit for friendship between India and Afghanistan, literally. Facing constant roadblocks from Pakistan to carry out their bilateral trade through land route, India and Afghanistan are all set to trade through air. They are opening a dedicated air freight corridor to supply their goods and make trade easier.

The decision to have an air freight corridor was taken in December in Amritsar ahead of the Heart of Asia Summit where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani announced the unique initiative. Two countries are forced to use air route following Pakistan’s trouble making attitude and preventing India-Afghanistan trade though land. The move will provide the private sector in Afghanistan a platform to increase their exports to India and help Indian goods reach Kabul in a time-bound manner.

The first batch of Indian commercial goods will take off from New Delhi for Kabul this weekend while another set of freight with Afghanistan’s agro-products is expected to return shortly. A warm reception has been planned by the Government at the Delhi airport to send off the first flight — by Ariana Airlines — that will take off for Kabul.

“In view of difficulties faced on the ground, an air freight corridor between India and Afghanistan has been activated. “The frequency of the flights under the project would be determined depending on commercial viability as it was a business venture which is supported greatly by the two Governments,” said Gopal Baglay, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson. He added the flights will fly over the Pakistan airspace as it is a civil plane.

Pakistan had in March this year unilaterally closed its border with Afghanistan at the Durand Line ceasing trade activities and leaving thousands of people and perishable items stranded. In its complaint to World Trade Organisation (WTO), Afghanistan said that blockage caused it a loss of $90 million.

A similar situation occurred last year when Pakistan blocked transit route between India and Afghanistan following which President Ghani threatened to close all Pakistan’s transit route to Central Asian countries if it did not allow Afghan traders to trade with India via the Wagah border.

Source : http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/india-afghan-all-set-to-trade-through-air.html