First time since Taliban takeover, Indian delegation visits Kabul
In a first since the Taliban's capture of power in Afghanistan, a high-level Indian delegation headed by a senior diplomat is currently on a visit to Kabul to oversee the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the country. JP Singh, the External Affairs Ministry's point person for Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, will meet senior members of the Taliban, per an official statement issued on Thursday.
- India's development and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan have been appreciated across the Afghan spectrum.
- This is the first visit by an Indian delegation since the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021.
- In September, the Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Taliban's Political Office in Doha at the request of the Taliban side.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that its team would meet representatives of the international organizations involved in the distribution of humanitarian assistance. It would also visit the various places where Indian programs and projects were being implemented. Notably, this is the second time that an Indian team will meet with the Taliban officials, but the first time in Afghanistan.
India had extended assistance to the people of the war-torn nation by dispatching several shipments comprising 20,000 metric tons of wheat, 13 tons of medicines, 5,00,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and winter clothing. The Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul, the World Health Organization, and the World Food Programme handed over these consignments. India will also send more medical assistance and food grains.
"In continuation with our developmental partnership with Afghan brethren, we have gifted one million doses of India-made COVAXIN to Iran to administer to Afghan refugees in Iran," the MEA stated. "We have also assisted UNICEF by supplying almost 60 million doses of polio vaccine and two tons of essential medicines," it added.
"In this connection, the Indian team will meet the senior members of the Taliban, and hold discussions on India's humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan," the MEA said. Citing historical and civilization ties with the Afghan people, the MEA said that these longstanding linkages would continue to guide India's approach as it has been concerned about the developments in Afghanistan.
