India facilitating, coordinating humanitarian assistance endeavors in Afghanistan since June 2022: MEA

The Indian technical mission in Kabul has been facilitating and coordinating the ongoing humanitarian assistance endeavors since June 2022, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

In a weekly media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while responding to the ANI question on the recent meetings between Indian officials and Taliban representatives in Afghanistan, said, “As you’re aware, India opened its technical mission in Kabul in June 2022, and since then, the mission has been facilitating and coordinating our ongoing humanitarian assistance endeavors.”

He said that India has historical and civilizational ties with the Afghan people, and these long-standing linkages will continue to guide the country’s approach towards Afghanistan.

Highlighting India’s ongoing engagement with Afghanistan, Jaiswal announced that an Indian delegation is currently on a visit to Afghanistan.

“We have an Indian delegation led by Joint Secretary Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran in the Ministry of External Affairs. This delegation is on a visit to Afghanistan. During the visit, the delegation held meetings with senior members of the Afghan authorities. The delegation also met former president Hamid Karzai, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan officials, and members of the Afghan business community,” said Jaiswal.

“The delegation held discussions on India’s humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and also discussed the use of the Chabahar Port by Afghan traders,” added the MEA spokesperson.

Notably, Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretary PAI Division, JP Singh on Thursday, called on the Taliban’s appointed Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi and expressed New Delhi’s willingness to expand relations with Kabul and promote trade through Chabahar Port.

In the meeting, both leaders discussed India-Afghan bilateral relations and economic and transit issues between the two countries.

“The MEA Joint Secretary of the Republic of India for Af-Ir-Pak, JP Singh, called on IEA-Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting focused on in-depth discussions on bilateral Afghanistan-India relations, economic and transit matters, fighting ISKP & corruption in the country,” Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, posted on X.”

Singh said that India is interested in expanding political & economic cooperation with Afghanistan, & enhancing trade via Chabahar Port,” he added.

Moreover, Minister Muttaqi expressed gratitude for India’s humanitarian assistance and sought to strengthen political and economic relations between the two countries.

“Extending gratitude to India for its humanitarian assistance, FM Muttaqi said that, in line with our balanced foreign policy, IEA seeks to strengthen political & economic relations with India as an important actor in the region. In the end, FM Muttaqi urged India’s Joint Secretary to facilitate the visa issuance process for Afghan businessmen, patients and students,” the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson posted on X.

Earlier in its continued efforts to help Afghanistan, India, on January 23, supplied 40,000 litres of Malathion, a pesticide used to fight locust menaces, through the Chabahar Port.