Has India suspended all trade activities with Afghanistan due to unrest in Iran? Fact Check
Claim : Letter allegedly claims that India has suspended all trade with Afghanistan due to unrest in Iran.
Conclusion : The claim is false. The letter is fake and no such suspension of trade has occurred between India and Afghanistan. Official government sources have debunked this as fake letter.
Rating : Totally False — 
Several social media users are sharing a fake letter, claiming that trade between India and Afghanistan has been suspended. X user ‘ADeshmukh30278’ made such a claim with the caption : “India suspends trade with Afghanistan because of unrest in Iran.” It includes an attached image of a purported official letter from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, dated 01-12-2026, announcing a temporary suspension of trade operations. View the post and complete letter below –
India suspends trade with Afghanistan because of unrest in Iran.#KNPatYUniverseAwards2025 #dek69 #IranRevolution2026 #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/iJFR2p0Kgc
— Arohi Deshmukh (@ADeshmukh30278) January 13, 2026
Other users have shared similar claims which can be seen here and here.
FACT CHECK
DigitEYE India decided to investigate this claim and found that it is false. The letter is fabricated and no such suspension has been issued between India and Afghanistan. Moreover, official government sources have debunked this and flagged the letter as fake.
We first conducted a web search with the phrase, “India suspends trade relations with Afghanistan” to learn more about this claim. No credible news outlet or any official press release from the government has confirmed such a letter. The recent press releases from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry website pertains to monthly reports on India’s trade. View a screenshot this below –
Following this, we analyzed the letter closely and found several discrepancies in it. For instance, the letter is signed by “Shri Vimal Anand” as Additional Chief Secretary. However, official Ministry records list Vimal Anand as Joint Secretary, not Additional Chief Secretary. View a screenshot of this on the official website below –
Next, we searched for any clarification from official government sources pertaining to the authenticity of the letter. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit explicitly debunked the letter on January 13, 2026 in a X post, stating it was circulated by Pakistani propaganda accounts and is entirely fake. No official advisory or order exists regarding trade suspension with Afghanistan. See the X post below:
A fabricated letter is being circulated by #Pakistani propaganda accounts, falsely claiming that India has temporarily suspended trade operations with #Afghanistan due to escalating unrest in #Iran.
❌ The letter is #FAKE
📵 Stay alert. Do not share such… pic.twitter.com/tgZ0LzCFDM
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) January 13, 2026
Thus, the claim is false.
