By Ravinder Singh Robin
India reopened the Attari–Wagah border crossing today to allow 150 Afghan trucks—laden primarily with almonds, raisins and pistachios—that had been stranded since Pakistan suspended transit on April 24 following the Pahalgam terror attack. As a land-locked nation, Afghanistan enjoys two-way transit rights under international law. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Afghanistan traded goods valued at $5.24 billion from January to June 2024, with dried fruits alone worth over $350 million in the first ten months of the solar year .
Imports via the Attari Integrated Check Post reached ₹3,115.99 crore (approximately $375 million) in FY 2023–24 (up to December 2024), marking a 41 percent year-on-year increase. However, roughly 65 to 150 Afghan trucks carrying perishable cargo remained stranded at the Wagah side of the frontier for over three weeks before today’s clearance.
Pakistan allowed the passage of these 150 trucks at Kabul’s request, describing the move as a one-off relief measure pending further vetting of consignments. On May 16, eight of these vehicles—among the first to cross—delivered perishable goods into India, offering temporary respite for exporters facing mounting losses as dry-fruit shipments deteriorated on both sides of the border .
Reportedly, New Delhi also signaled willingness to explore a more regular transit arrangement, pointing to the TIR Carnet system—a standardized customs transit document ratified by Afghanistan in 1982—as a potential framework. While TIR was reactivated in Afghanistan in 2013, its usage has remained low, with only 100 Carnets purchased in 2018 and 200 in 2019, even as the IRU reports growing interest across Central Asia.
Reports suggests, Afghanistan’s trade with India reached $890 million in the past solar year—$627 million in exports, primarily dried fruits, and $263 million in imports. During the same period, Afghanistan shipped 466,000 tons of fruits and dried fruits worth $643 million, underscoring these commodities’ critical role in rural foreign-exchange earnings.
Analysts say the real test will be whether India, Pakistan and Afghanistan can convert this one-off relief into a trilateral agreement ensuring uninterrupted access for Kabul’s goods to global markets. With Afghan farmers dependent on dry-fruit exports for much of their foreign exchange earnings, traders and diplomats alike will be watching closely to see what comes next for Afghan