Afghanistan likely to open consular office in Kolkata
Afghanistan is considering to open a consular office in east Indian city of Kolkata, its envoy to India said on Monday.
Abdali said he will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday and put forward a proposal for an agreement for according Kolkata the 'sister-city' status to Afghanistan's Mazaresarif city.
"Both Kolkata and Mazaresarif have similarities. They are fast developing cities. I will meet the Chief Minister tomorrow and propose her to make a 'sister-city' relationship between the two cities," he said.
Speaking on an alternative transit route, he said: "Pakistan is the current route. However, the draft MoU transit trade agreement had been submitted to Iran by India and Afghanistan over the issue of Chabahar port."
He said India has offered USD 200 million to upgrade the Chabahar port in Iran.
Abdali invited businessmen from Kolkata to grab the business opportunity in the Asian country.
"We want you all to grab the business opportunity and develop trade relationships between India and Afghanistan," he said.
He said the bilateral trade between India and Afghanistan is likely to touch USD 3 billion in future.
"If Chabahar port gets operational then we will witness an increase in the trade between two nations," he said.
(Reporting by Supriyo Hazra Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
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Afghanistan likely to open consular office in Kolkata