New Delhi: In a major step that is part of the connectivity initiative to circumvent an obstinate Pakistan, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani, through a joint video conference, on Sunday flagged off the first shipment of wheat from India to Afghanistan that will be transhipped through the Chabahar port in Iran.
In a statement, India said, “The shipment of wheat is a landmark moment as it will pave the way for the operationalisation of Chabahar port as an alternate, reliable and robust connectivity for Afghanistan. It will open up new opportunities for trade and transit from and to Afghanistan and enhance trade and commerce between the three countries and the wider region.”
Ms Swaraj said, “I am extremely delighted that today we have joined on a momentous occasion for the people of our three countries and the region... We established the air corridor between India and Afghanistan to overfly the obstacles imposed by geography and mindsets. Today, we are bridging them through sea and land under our trilateral cooperation.”
