WT/COMTD/RTA14/M/1  
 
5 November  2020 
(20-7899) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
11th Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements    
 
 
PREFERENTIAL TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN  (GOODS)  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 29 SEPTEMBER  2020 
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan)  
1.  The 11th Dedicated Session o n Region al Trade Agreements (RTAs) of the Committee on 
Trade  and Development (CTD)  was convened in document  WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/6/Rev.2 of 
18 September 2020.  The meeting allowed for both in -person and virtual participation. Under 
item B (IV) of the agenda , the Committee considered the Preferential Trade Agreement  (PTA)  
between India and Afghanistan (Goods)  (WT/COMTD/RTA14/N/1, WT/COMTD/RTA14/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA14/2 ). The present document contains the minutes relating to the consideration of 
this agreement.1 
2.  The Chairman  said that t he PTA between India and Afghanistan was notified under 
paragraph  4(a) of the Enabling Clause on 8 March 2010. The notification  was originally circulated 
on 9 March  2010 in document WT/COMTD/N/32.  It was  then re -circulated on 23 January 2020 in 
document WT/COMTD/RTA14/N/1, in accordance  with the new symbols for notifications and 
subsequent documentation relating to RTA s agreed to by the CTD at its 108th Regular Session on 
5 April 2019. The factual presentation  on the agreement  – document WT/COMTD/RTA 14/1 dated 
24 January 2020 – had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility, and in full 
consultation with  the parties.  Written questions from Thailand and the  United States, as well as 
the replies from the parties, had been  circulated in document WT/COMTD/RTA14/2.  
3.  The representative of India thanked the United States and Thailand for their written questions,  
to which responses had been submitted jointly by India and Afghanistan. She also noted that her 
delegation was willing to provide answers to any other additional questions that Members may 
have. She went on to say that the PTA between India and Afghanistan sought,  inter alia , to 
promote the harmonious development of economic relations between the p arties through th e 
expansion of trade. Under the  agreement, the parties had  agreed to progressive reductions and 
elimination of obstacles to bilateral trade. India ha d eliminated tariffs on 132 tariff lines, under 
which 56.7% of imports from Afghanist an entered duty -free into India between  2014 and 2016. In 
addition to eliminating t ariffs on these lines, India had  reduced import tariffs on another 31 tariff 
lines, by 50% of the most-favoured -nation (MFN)  applied rate. Outside the India-Afghanistan PTA , 
India also provided  concessions to Afghanistan under the South  Asian Free Trade Agreement 
(SAFTA). Currently, all  products  from Afghanistan  – except  for 25 lines covering alcohol and 
tobacco  products – enjoy ed duty-free access to the Indian market under  SAFTA. As a result of 
these concessions, Afg hanistan’s exports to India had  seen a rapid growth since 2011, as was 
noted in the factual presentation.  
4.  The representative of Afghanistan  thanked the United States and Thailand for their written 
questions, and noted that responses had been submitted jointly by India and Afghanistan. He said 
that the PTA between India and Afghanistan was signed and entered into force in 2003. It was 
notified to the WTO o n 8 March 2010. The  agreement aimed  to promote, through the expansion of 
trade, the development of economic relations be tween  Afghanistan  and India . Afghanistan's 
commitments include d tariff elimination on  tea, sugar, certain medicinal product s and cement.  
Afghanistan thanked  India for having agreed  to reduce and eliminate obstacles to bilateral trade. 
 
1 The general minutes of the CTD's 11th Dedicated Session on RTAs are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/11.  WT/COMTD/RTA14/M/1  
 
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  In closing, he indicated his dele gation’s willingness to provide  responses to any further questions 
submitted by Members .  
5.  The representative of the United S tates thanked India and Afghanistan for their participation in 
the transparency exercise.  
6.  The representative of the European Union  expressed her delegation’s appreciation to the 
parties for the transparency provided.   
7.  The Chairman  said that  oral discussion of the PTA between India and Afghanistan  could be 
concluded in accordance with paragraph 11 of the Transparency Mechanism  for RTAs  (RTA TM) . 
Follow -up questions by Members would need to be submitted  in writing to the Secretariat within 
one week, by 6 October 2020. The parties would then be given two weeks to submit written 
replies, by no later than 20 October 2020. In accordance with  paragraph 13 of the RTA TM , all 
written submissions as well as the minutes of the present meeting would  be circulated promptly in 
all WTO official languages, and would  be made available on the WTO website.  
8.  The Committee took note  of all interventions . 
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