India, Afghanistan Review Trade, Connectivity and Farm Cooperation During Bilateral Talks

India and Afghanistan on Thursday (9 July 2026) held a Joint Committee Meeting to review bilateral engagement, with trade, connectivity and agriculture among the key subjects on the agenda, as per a PIB report.  

The meeting took place during the visit of Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari. 

The meeting was co-chaired by M. Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and Shuaib Baryalai, Director General of the First Political Division in Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

Officials also reviewed cooperation in healthcare, education, humanitarian assistance, development projects, food security, visas, sports and capacity building. 

Joint Working Group Proposed 

Ahead of the committee meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Omari for talks on agricultural cooperation. Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also attended. 

The two countries decided to work towards establishing a Joint Working Group on agriculture and livestock. The proposed body will prepare a long-term cooperation roadmap and provide a mechanism for regular institutional engagement. 

Focus On Agriculture and Water Management 

Afghanistan sought India's support to improve wheat production through better seed systems and research. The Indian side offered cooperation through wheat, maize and potato seeds, including climate-resilient and biofortified varieties, along with technical support from ICAR. 

Water management was another area discussed during the meeting. Afghanistan raised issues related to water scarcity and irrigation, while India shared its experience in micro-irrigation, watershed development, rainwater harvesting, check dams and efficient water-use practices.  

Horticulture, livestock, dairy, poultry, fisheries, soil health and digital agriculture also came up for discussion. 

Trade and Research Cooperation 

Officials also discussed expanding trade in agricultural commodities, quality seeds and value-added products. The meeting covered agricultural value chains, market access and private sector participation.  

ICAR presented ongoing work with Afghanistan in wheat research, irrigation, germplasm exchange, horticulture, livestock, fisheries and human resource development. 

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Conclusion 

The visit ended with both countries reviewing existing cooperation and outlining the next steps for engagement in agriculture, trade, connectivity and development initiatives. 

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