The Taliban crisis has halted India’s textile exports to Afghanistan. Since its peak of 2019-20, India’s textile exports to Afghanistan dwindled back to $100 million in 2020-21. In the first four months of 2021-22, export totaled just $40 million, implying that it would have crossed $200 million had the crisis not erupted.

Since the past 20 years, India’s bilateral trade with Afghanistan has grown by leaps and bounds, peaking $1.50 billion in 2019-20 with increases in both, imports and exports. In 2020-21, India’s total exports to Afghanistan stood at $825 million, whereas imports were at $509 million.

Basic textile exports to Afghanistan comprising fibers, spun, filaments and fabric shipment had recently peaked to $375 million in 2019-20, accounting for about 4 per cent of total basic textile exported from India during the year. Almost all basic textile exports to Afghanistan were of fabric material. The major types of fabric export were those made of nylon, polyester filament, and of poly/viscose. About 12 per cent of all nylon and poly/viscose fabric exports were destined to Afghanistan and about 3 per cent of polyester filament fabric.