Kabul, Nov 3 (IANS): A first of its kind "India Product Show" has been inaugurated in the Afghan capital to boost economic cooperation between the two South Asian countries.

The exhibition cum buyer-seller meet, organised by industry chamber FICCI in collaboration with India's commerce ministry, the Indian embassy and the Kabul and Afghanistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries, was inaugurated Sunday by Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal, Afghan economy minister.

"Afghanistan requires India's assistance and support to successfully tide over the economic transition," Arghandiwal said, addressing the participants.

FICCI is the nodal agency to implement the Trade, Commerce and Investment Opportunities Confidence Building Measures envisaged under the Heart of Asia Process for Rebuilding Afghanistan, the chamber said in a statement.

The event is designed "to bring together Indian and Afghan businesses, investors and traders, policy makers, financial service providers, social venture capitalists, angel investors, donors, service providers, corporates and other key players to look at new avenues for business between India and Afghanistan," FICCI said.

More than 40 Indian companies representing diverse sectors are participating in the show.

India's deputy chief of mission in Kabul, Viraj Singh, spoke at the show about Indian efforts in developing the Chabahar port to provide an alternate transit route for Afghanistan and India via Iran.

"He urged Indian business delegation to look beyond the buyer-seller relationship and start looking at investment prospects in Afghanistan," FICCI said.