New Delhi (NVI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said that no part of Afghanistan is today untouched by 400 plus projects undertaken by India in all 34 provinces of the country while highlighting that India’s development portfolio in Afghanistan has amounted to over US$ 3 billion.
Jaishankar was speaking at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference organized virtually in Geneva from 23-24 November 2020. The EAM added that more than 65,000 Afghan students have studied in India.
He said that India is an “important stakeholder” in Afghanistan and looks forward to walk hand in hand with people of Afghanistan and world community in working towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign democratic and united Afghanistan.
Reiterating India’s commitment towards progress and infrastructure growth in Afghanistan, the EAM announced that India had just concluded with Afghanistan an agreement for the construction of the Shatoot dam, which would provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul city.
India had earlier built the 202-km Phul-e-Khumri transmission line that provided electricity to Kabul city. Jaishankar also announced launch of Phase-IV of the High Impact Community Development Projects in Afghanistan, which envisages more than 100 projects worth US$ 80 million that India would undertake in Afghanistan.
In his statement, EAM emphasized India’s long term commitment to the development of Afghanistan and the benefit of its people as a contiguous neighbor and strategic partner.
The Foreign Minister’s remarks came against the backdrop of mounting global concern over increased attacks by the Taliban.
“India has invested heavily in peace and development in Afghanistan and believes that the gains of the last two decades must be preserved and the interests of minorities, women and vulnerable sections must be ensured,” the EAM said while expressing concern regarding the increasing level of violence in Afghanistan and reiterated India’s call for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.
The EAM also pointed out that Afghanistan’s growth has been constrained by its land locked geography and highlighted India’s efforts to provide an alternate connectivity through Chabahar port and a dedicated Air Freight Corridor between India and Afghanistan.
“India’s humanitarian assistance of 75,000 tonnes of wheat to strengthen food security of Afghanistan during the Covid pandemic has been transported through Chabahar port,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
-ARK
