Taliban Looks To India To Replace Pakistan As Key Medicine Supplier
Taliban is seeking to expand pharmaceutical imports from India as it reduces reliance on Pakistan for medical supplies.
Taliban is seeking to expand pharmaceutical imports from India as it reduces reliance on Pakistan for medical supplies.
Taliban Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi held talks in New Delhi with India’s Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council, which expressed interest in increasing its exports of medicines to Afghanistan.
According to a statement from the Taliban commerce ministry on Saturday, the Indian side also signalled readiness for joint investment and the establishment of pharmaceutical production facilities inside Afghanistan. The discussions covered medicine imports, improving product quality, investment opportunities and solutions to current challenges in bilateral pharmaceutical trade.
The ministry said Azizi assured Indian pharmaceutical companies that the Taliban would fully support credible firms operating in Afghanistan.
The talks come as the Taliban shift away from Pakistan for the supply of essential medicines. Earlier, the Taliban Ministry of Finance announced that customs duties on Pakistani pharmaceutical imports would be suspended for three months. Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar instructed Afghan traders to seek alternative routes to Pakistani border crossings and markets.
The commerce ministry added that Afghan pharmaceutical officials and stakeholders will visit advanced pharmaceutical facilities in India. It also said a delegation from India’s pharmaceutical sector will travel to Kabul to explore practical opportunities for establishing production plants and expanding exports.
