New Delhi, Oct 10 (NVI) Much to the chagrin of Pakistan, India and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan today opened a new chapter in their relations, with New Delhi announcing restarting of its Embassy in Kabul after a gap of 4 years along with a slew of initiatives and projects for the welfare of the ”contiguous neighbour”.
The Taliban-regime’s Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in turn, promised to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used against India by any force, while slamming Pakistan for nurturing hostility towards “countries of the region”.
The announcements came at a delegation-level meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and visiting Afghan minister here, which marked the first physical at such a senior level ever since the Taliban seized power militarility in Kabul in August 2021.
The two ministers had spoken over phone twice over the last 6 months, prior to which Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had met Muttaqi in Doha in February.
At the meeting, Jaishankar underlined that India has always been a well-wisher of Afghanistan and its people and recalled that it was the first responder with relief after a massive earthquake hit that country.
Muttaqi, on his part, noted that there have been “ups and downs” during the presence of the US in Afghanistan, despite which the Taliban never said anything against India.
The key takeaways from the meeting are as follows:
India to Upgrade Its Mission in Kabul to Embassy Status:
Jaishankar announced that India will upgrade its Technical Mission in Kabul to the Embassy status, implying establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
The diplomatic scale down took place after the Taliban seized power in August 2021 and India did not have friendly ties with the organisation at that time.
Humanitarian Assistance:
As part of its ongoing healthcare assistance, India will gift 20 ambulances to Afghanistan, 5 of which were delivered today itself by Jaishankar to Muttaqi after their talks.
India will construct a 30-bed hospital in Kabul’s Bagrami district, an Oncology Centre and a Trauma Centre in Kabul, and five Maternity Health Clinics in the provinces of Paktika, Khost, and Paktia.
India will also undertake several new projects, including the establishment of a Thalassemia Centre, a Modern Diagnostic Centre, and replacement of the heating system at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Kabul.
About 75 prosthetic limbs have been successfully fitted to Afghan nationals, which was widely appreciated by both the Afghan government and the international community, said a Joint Statement.
Appreciating India’s assistance in construction and maintenance of India-Afghanistan Friendship Dam (Salma Dam) in Herat, both sides also underscored the importance of sustainable water management and agreed to cooperate on hydroelectric projects with a view to addressing Afghanistan’s energy needs and support its agricultural development.
Capacity-Building:
In the field of capacity-building, India continues to offer scholarships to Afghan students under the e-ICCR scholarship scheme. Other avenues for Afghan students to pursue studies at Indian universities under the ICCR and other scholarship programmes are under active consideration.
India expressed its willingness to assist the Afghan government in reconstructing residential buildings in the earthquake affected areas.
Supplies of Food and Other Essentials:
The two sides reviewed the progress of Indian humanitarian assistance programmes to Afghanistan, which include supply of food grains, social support items, school stationery, disaster relief materials and pesticides.
Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to continuing such assistance.
Muttaqi expressed appreciation to the Government of India for its comprehensive and generous humanitarian support, including in providing crucial material aid to address the urgent needs of forcibly repatriated refugees in Afghanistan.
Sports:
Both sides discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in sports, especially cricket, to advance cultural interactions.
Air Freight Corridor:
Both sides welcomed the commencement of the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor, which will further enhance direct trade and commerce between the two countries. The new corridor is expected to streamline connectivity and boost bilateral trade.
Invitation to Indian Companies:
The Afghan side invited Indian companies to invest in the mining sector which would help strengthen the bilateral trade and commercial relations.
Continued Engagement:
Both sides agreed to maintain close communication and continue regular engagement. (NVI)
