India on Friday announced the upgrading of its technical mission in Kabul to the status of an embassy and pledged to renew its development works in Afghanistan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also appreciated the Taliban set-up for showing sensitivity towards New Delhi’s security concerns.
Jaishankar made the twin announcements during his wide-ranging talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who landed in New Delhi on Thursday on his first diplomatic visit to India.
India had withdrawn its officials from its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by deploying a “technical team”.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Jaishankar listed cross-border terrorism as a shared threat for both the countries and said India and Afghanistan must coordinate efforts to combat the menace.
On his part, Muttaqi assured India that Afghanistan will not allow any element to use its territory against New Delhi’s interests and identified the Daesh terror group (ISIS) as the main challenge for the region. He added that Kabul is at the frontlines of this struggle.
Since the Taliban came to power, New Delhi has also been insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
What did India announce for Afghanistan?
Later, Jaishankar posted a series of posts on X about today’s meetings, saying he was pleased to meet Muttaqi in New Delhi.
“This visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring India-Afghanistan friendship. Discussed India’s support for Afghanistan’s development, our bilateral trade, territorial integrity & independence, people-to-people ties and capacity building. India will upgrade its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India,” the Minister said.
In a press conference later, Muttaqi shared details about his meeting with Jaishankar on awide range of issues such as those related to economy, politics, diplomacy and security.
“Some of the achievements were the Indian government’s upgrade of technical presence at the embassy… And the diplomatic delegation of the Islamic Emirate will arrive in Delhi. We also agreed to strengthen the air corridor to strengthen our trade. EAM pledged to broaden health activities in Afghanistan, and we appreciate the assistance provided for the victims of the earthquake,” the Taliban leader said.
India’s longstanding partnership, which has seen numerous Indian projects in Afghanistan, stands renewed, the external affairs minister announced.
Jaishankar said both India and Afghanistan have a common commitment towards growth and prosperity. He stated that India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan.
Ready to commit to six new projects
Jaishankar stated that India is now ready to commit to six new projects, the details of which will be announced soon. “A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of goodwill and I would like to hand over five of them to you personally as a symbolic step,” he said.
Jaishankar also appreciated Kabul’s invitation to Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan and said the proposal can be discussed further.
“We have a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce. I am glad to note the commencement of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi,” he said.
Why is Muttaqi in India?
Muttaqi landed in New Delhi on Thursday, in the first high-level trip from Kabul, days after the UN Security Council’s Taliban Sanctions Committee approved an exemption to the travel ban imposed on him.
The UNSC committee approved a temporary exemption to the travel ban on 30 September, allowing Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from 9 October to 16, according to a statement by the UN.
Here is what India is gifting Afghanistan:
1- India would further deepen its engagement in development cooperation projects, particularly in the sectors of healthcare, public infrastructure and capacity-building –
2 – As part of India’s ongoing healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, several projects are being undertaken, 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.
3- Additionally, 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. About 75 prosthetic limbs have been successfully fitted to Afghan nationals, which was widely appreciated by both the Afghan government and the international community. India will also continue to extend medical assistance and provide high-quality healthcare treatment to Afghan nationals.
4- As a special gesture, India will gift twenty ambulances to the Afghan people. A symbolic handover of the ambulances was done by the External Affairs Minister following his meeting with the Foreign Minister.
5 – 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.
6- India expressed its willingness to assist the Afghan government in reconstructing residential buildings in the earthquake affected areas.
7- 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. The External Affairs Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to continuing such assistance. The Foreign Minister 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.
8- Both sides discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in sports, especially cricket, to advance cultural interactions.
9- 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.
10- Both sides agreed to cooperate on hydroelectric projects with a view to addressing Afghanistan’s energy needs and supporting its agricultural development.
This visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring India-Afghanistan friendship.
The exemption paved the way for the Afghan foreign minister to visit India, where he can stay till 16 October.
Muttaqi’s engagements include a visit to the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary and the Taj Mahal, the people cited above said.