By Soniya:
Afghanistan’s Taliban administration has signed a $46 million agreement with Indian company TCRC to modernize customs laboratory infrastructure across the country. The project is aimed at improving trade quality checks, strengthening technical capacity, and enhancing Afghanistan’s export credibility in international markets.
Under the five-year agreement, laboratory centres will be established in Kabul and nine major customs facilities across Afghanistan. The project will include installation of advanced testing equipment, upgrading of existing systems, and deployment of foreign technical experts to support operations and training.
Officials say the initiative is designed to improve product testing, certification systems, and customs inspections. The project will also strengthen the Afghanistan Standards and Quality Authority, which plays a key role in ensuring imported and exported goods meet international standards.
A major focus of the agreement is skill development and technical training for Afghan staff. Local personnel are expected to receive training in international laboratory practices with support from foreign specialists. Authorities are also working toward obtaining International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifications to improve global trust in Afghan trade systems.
Experts believe modern customs laboratories can help Afghanistan improve export quality, reduce trade disputes, and integrate more effectively with regional and international markets. However, observers have also raised concerns regarding transparency, implementation challenges, and long-term operational stability under the current political environment.
The agreement reflects continued economic engagement between Indian businesses and Afghanistan despite ongoing geopolitical complexities in the region.
