New Delhi: India and Afghanistan will start an air freight service to boost trade between the two countries, so far hampered by Pakistan’s refusal to allow Indian goods to be sent to Afghanistan by the land route due to tensions between the two South Asian neighbours. The decision to launch an air freight service between India—the biggest economy in South Asia—and landlocked Afghanistan, was taken during a visit by President Ashraf Ghani to India last year. “The idea of establishing a dedicated air freight corridor is to operate a dedicated freight flight between India and Afghanistan,” Baglay said. Pakistan also refused to comply with the terms of a South Asian regional arrangement that would allow India to trade with Afghanistan. According to Baglay, the frequency of the air freight service would depend on the demand for the goods that will be traded.

Source: Mint June 16, 2017 18:23 UTC