New Delhi: India plans to give humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees who have been expelled by Pakistan. Pakistan has been expelling Afghan refugees as part of a repatriation campaign that intensified in 2023, citing security concerns and economic pressures. The deportations have sparked humanitarian concerns.
Both sides are also discussing having India-supported development projects in Afghanistan. In the past, India has played an instrumental role in building dams, cricket stadiums, and community development projects in the country.
The development comes amid the first ever talks between India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The Afghan Acting Foreign Minister spoke to India’s foreign minister just ahead of his scheduled visits to Iran and China slated for next week.
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During the talks, the Afghan side condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and rejected the Pakistani misinformation that Indian missiles reached Afghanistan. The readout said, “India welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.”
Afghanistan also hopes for Indian visas for its traders. An Afghan readout said, “Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, trade, and elevating the level of diplomatic ties.”
Trade has been a key part of the engagement. Both sides are considering to enhance bilateral trade from the current $ 1 billion. The Indian side also granted clearance, as a special gesture, for entry of 160 Afghan trucks carrying dry fruits and nuts through Attari. This despite the Wagah-Attari border being effectively closed for India-Pakistan trade.
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The talks between the foreign ministers is an elevation in terms of the engagement between India and Afghanistan. The Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Afghan Acting FM Muttaqi in January, while Joint Secretary Anand Prakash, who is the head of MEA’s Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran (PAI) division, held a meeting with Muttaqi and his team in the last week of April.
India has been a long-standing partner of Afghanistan. Since 2021, India has sent 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 350 tonnes of medicines, 40,000 litres of Malathion and 28 tonnes of earthquake relief material to Afghanistan. Delhi has also provided 2000 online scholarships for Afghan students, something that has been welcomed by Kabul.