NEW DELHI: India on Monday said it will "stand by" its Afghan partners, take all steps for the security of Indians and its interests in Afghanistan and facilitate the repatriation of Sikhs and Hindus who wish to leave the war-torn country, in its first reaction following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban.
As Kabul fell to the Taliban, India's defence top brass, the foreign policy establishment and senior intelligence officials reviewed the fast-paced developments in Afghanistan and their possible ramifications for New Delhi as well as the region in a series of meetings on Monday.
In a related development, an Indian Air Force heavy-lift transport aircraft that had left for Afghanistan late last night and reached that country using Iranian airspace returned from Kabul to India with a number of Indians, people familiar with the developments said.
However, there was no official confirmation on it.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels and that suspension of commercial operations at Kabul airport has forced a pause in India's repatriation efforts.
Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul on Sunday evening hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left for an unknown destination, paving the way for the takeover of the capital as well as the country.
"The security situation in Kabul has deteriorated significantly in the last few days. It is changing rapidly even as we speak. The Government of India has been closely monitoring all developments in Afghanistan," he said.
Bagchi was replying to media queries on the situation in Afghanistan following the takeover of the country by the Taliban.
"We are in constant touch with the representatives of Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities. We will facilitate repatriation to India of those who wish to leave Afghanistan," the MEA spokesperson said.
"There are also a number of Afghans who have been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational and people to people endeavours. We will stand by them," he said.
Bagchi said India is waiting for the resumption of flights to restart the repatriation process.
"Commercial operations from Kabul airport have been suspended today. This has forced a pause in our repatriation efforts. We are awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the process," he said.
"The situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels. The Government will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan," Bagchi added.
The MEA spokesperson also referred to periodic advisories issued by the Indian embassy in Kabul for the safety and security of Indian nationals in that country, including calling for their immediate return to India.
"We had circulated emergency contact numbers and had also been extending assistance to community members. We are aware that there are still some Indian nationals in Afghanistan who wish to return and we are in touch with them," he said.
India along with many other countries was surprised at the lightning advances made by the Taliban across Afghanistan in capturing power after the US began pulling out its troops on May 1 from the country, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
"Definitely, we did not expect Kabul to fall so soon," said an official on the condition of anonymity.
People cited above said India will issue visas to all the Afghan nationals who were partnering it in various developmental projects and activities.
They said India was planning to send another C-17 aircraft to Afghanistan on Monday as part of the evacuation mission.
Thousands of desperate people converged at the Kabul international airport on Monday in hopes of getting on an evacuation flight and leave the country.
The airport has already been shut for commercial flights and subsequently, the US military has taken control of the airport security to facilitate the evacuation of foreign diplomats and citizens.
India has been a key stakeholder in Afghanistan and it has invested nearly USD 3 billion in carrying out nearly 500 projects across that country.
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is largely seen as a setback for India as the militant outfit has been strongly backed by Pakistan's military.
Meanwhile, an armed contingent of paramilitary force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is "actively" securing the diplomatic staff of the Indian embassy in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and will be there "till required", officials said on Monday as the Taliban took over the country.
The officials said the force personnel are among the last of the diplomatic staff of the embassy who are present in the country.
The security unit of the ITBP is actively securing the embassy staffers.
They will carry out their duties till it is required, the officials said.
They refused to divulge the strength of the people and the armed security personnel owing to the sensitivity of the fast-changing situation in Afghanistan.
The ITBP was first deployed to secure the premises of the India embassy in Kabul, diplomats and staffers in November, 2002.
It later sent additional detachments to guard the Indian consulates located in Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat.
The contingents from the consulates have already been withdrawn after the consulates were shut recently due to the current crisis in the war-ravaged country and also due to a negligible footfall as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe.
In its first reaction to the developments in Afghanistan, India on Monday said it is constantly monitoring the situation and will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of its nationals as well as its interests in that country.
"The situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels. The government will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul on Sunday evening, hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left for an unknown destination, paving the way for the takeover of the capital as well as the country.
"The security situation in Kabul has deteriorated significantly in the last few days. It is changing rapidly even as we speak," Bagchi said.
Many Hindus and Sikhs have taken refuge in Kabul's Karte Parwan gurdwara after Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban, DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed on Monday.
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief said he was in touch with the president of the Gurdwara Committee of Kabul regarding the safety of minorities, including Hindus and Sikhs in that country.
"I am in constant touch with the president of Gurdwara Committee of Kabul and the Sangat who have told me that 320 plus people, including 50 Hindus and 270 plus Sikhs, have taken refuge in Karte Parwan gurdwara in Kabul in wake of recent developments.
"Taliban leaders have met them and assured them of their safety. We are hopeful that Hindus and Sikhs would be able to live a safe and secure life despite political and military changes happening in Afghanistan," Sirsa said.
Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday for an unknown destination, paving way for a bloodless takeover of the capital city but triggering fear, chaos and uncertainty among its residents.
On Monday, thousands of desperate people converged at the Kabul International Airport in hopes of getting on an evacuation flight and leaving the country.