NEW DELHI: Afghanistan Overseas Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi exhibited a putting mix of strategic foresight and cultural nostalgia –- whether or not advertently or not –- in his subsequent public interplay. Addressing the media in New Delhi on Friday, his emphasis on Chabahar port as a “good commerce route” displays Afghanistan’s meant transfer in direction of various routes amid strained ties with Pakistan.
The port, developed by India in southeastern Iran, provides the landlocked nation a direct hyperlink to the Arabian Sea and past, bypassing Pakistan.
However the US has reimposed sanctions, ending earlier waivers, in an obvious bid to isolate Iran.
This sudden flip has raised quick authorized, banking and insurance coverage obstacles for Indian and third nation firms working at Chabahar.
“Chabahar is an efficient commerce route. Afghanistan and India ought to attempt to take away the obstacles following sanctions imposed by the US. We will type it out by way of negotiations between Afghanistan-India, and the US,” Muttaqi exhorted, underscoring its potential to facilitate exports of dried fruits, saffron, and handicrafts to India and past.
That appeared to be in his ideas, when the Minister, whereas interacting with Indian analysts and consultants at an occasion organised by the Vivekananda Worldwide Basis (VIF) on Saturday, referred to Rabindranath Tagore’s Kabuliwala, putting a poignant chord with the viewers.
“The dialog underscored the deep financial, historic, cultural, and civilisational ties between the 2 nations. His point out of Rabindranath Tagore’s Kabuliwala struck a poignant chord with the viewers,” the New Delhi-based assume tank VIF posted on X.
Muttaqi’s reference to Tagore’s 1892 story of an Afghan dry fruit vendor in Kolkata may have been an invocation of a shared cultural reminiscence that has lengthy formed India-Afghan relations.
He referred to the story as “not fiction — it’s our historical past”.
Coincidentally, the identical day, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Trade and Commerce had introduced that the worth of Afghanistan’s dried fruit exports has considerably elevated this 12 months.
India, China, Pakistan, Russia, the UAE, Canada, Italy, and the UK are among the many predominant locations for these exports.
“Within the first eight months of the present 12 months, the worth of dried fruit exports reached $222 million, whereas within the first eight months of the earlier 12 months (2024), this determine was $179 million,” Afghanistan’s Tolo Information reported, quoting Ministry Spokesperson Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad.
Nonetheless, the nation’s Dried Fruit Exporters Union instructed Tolo Information that merchants proceed to face severe challenges within the export course of.
The closure of Pakistan border crossing, the place a fierce battle is at the moment razing, excessive air freight prices, and issues with cash transfers are main obstacles to dried fruit exports.
Officers in Kabul warn that if these points are usually not resolved, there’s a danger of dropping key markets corresponding to India.
By weaving collectively infrastructure, commerce, and literature — knowingly or not — he introduced Afghanistan as a nation with deep historic ties to India and a need for peaceable engagement.
As Kabul navigates by way of unsure waters, dry fruits could look like a small stake –- however carry reminiscence, identification, and hope.
In Tagore’s story, little Mini requested, “Kabuliwala, O Kabuliwala, the place have you ever gone?” Now, by way of Chabahar, he could attempt to return.