India and Afghanistan have announced a plan to create a joint air corridor to enhance bilateral trade following Pakistan's reluctance to allow transit rights through its territory. The decision for the air corridor was finalised when Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met PM Narendra Modi here on Sunday morning ahead of the Heart of Asia meet for the second bilateral dialogue this year. The idea was mooted when Ghani visited Delhi in September.
The joint air trade corridor would help India and Afghanistan to export and import items by bypassing Pakistan. The Afghan government was also focusing on creation of economic zones in airports. Earlier, Ghani had sought the World Bank's support for the air corridor, and the Bank is understood to have supported Kabul's quest for better regional connectivity.
Ahead of Ghani visit's to India, Afghan envoy to India Shaida M Abdali said that Afghanistan is no longer a landlocked nation with Kabul now being part of several connectivity initiatives across Central Asia, India and Europe.
During his visit to Delhi earlier in September, Ghani had set a target of $10 billion for bilateral trade and investment with India in five years, underlining the importance of a concrete road map for future collaboration. He marked out retail, power, pharmaceuticals, solar energy , water management, ports and skill development as areas that hold immense potential.
India-Afghanistan bilateral trade stood at $643 million in 2015-16. In that business meet, Ghani had also proposed formation of a taskforce between the industry chambers of the two countries and governments for laying a concrete road map for future collaboration.
The joint air trade corridor would help India and Afghanistan to export and import items by bypassing Pakistan. The Afghan government was also focusing on creation of economic zones in airports. Earlier, Ghani had sought the World Bank's support for the air corridor, and the Bank is understood to have supported Kabul's quest for better regional connectivity.
Ahead of Ghani visit's to India, Afghan envoy to India Shaida M Abdali said that Afghanistan is no longer a landlocked nation with Kabul now being part of several connectivity initiatives across Central Asia, India and Europe.
During his visit to Delhi earlier in September, Ghani had set a target of $10 billion for bilateral trade and investment with India in five years, underlining the importance of a concrete road map for future collaboration. He marked out retail, power, pharmaceuticals, solar energy , water management, ports and skill development as areas that hold immense potential.
India-Afghanistan bilateral trade stood at $643 million in 2015-16. In that business meet, Ghani had also proposed formation of a taskforce between the industry chambers of the two countries and governments for laying a concrete road map for future collaboration.
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