Now Reading: Attari-Wagah closure ends India’s last land trade route with Pakistan
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Attari-Wagah closure ends India’s last land trade route with Pakistan
Attari-Wagah closure ends India’s last land trade route with Pakistan
India’s suspension of trade through the Attari-Wagah Integrated Check Post has shut its last operational land trade route with Pakistan. The Cabinet Committee on Security ordered the closure on 23 April 2025…
The Story in Brief
India’s suspension of trade through the Attari-Wagah Integrated Check Post has shut its last operational land trade route with Pakistan. The Cabinet Committee on Security ordered the closure on 23 April 2025 after the Pahalgam attack, and a Directorate General of Foreign Trade notification on 2 May banned imports and transit of Pakistani goods until further orders. The route handled Rs 4,148.53 crore in trade in 2024-25, mainly through shipments linked to Afghanistan. Trade fell to Rs 117.02 crore and 214 cargo movements in 2025-26 before stopping completely.
The 120-acre facility near Amritsar supported traders, transporters, customs brokers, warehouses and other logistics firms. It also served as a transit route for Afghan goods. The government told the Lok Sabha that any reopening would be considered under the same national security framework used for the suspension.
The Indian Opinion
It is easy to portray the closure either as a major economic punishment for Pakistan or as a harmless gesture with no cost to India. Neither claim fits the record. Direct bilateral trade had already weakened sharply after 2019, but the route still supported Afghanistan-linked cargo and Punjab’s border economy. Security concerns can override commerce, yet a durable policy should track the local cost and alternative routes. The clearest test is whether Afghan shipments and the 2024-25 trade level can be replaced without added delays or costs.
Source: livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
