NEW DELHI: India on Thursday took a first step in meeting members of the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran), JP Singh met Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul. Discussions were focused on India’s humanitarian support to Afghanistan. Singh also visited a number of places which received humanitarian aid from India. This included the Indira Gandhi Child Hospital and Hibibia High School which have been renovated by the Indian government.
The Taliban government issued a release on Singh’s visit and said the discussions focused on diplomatic relations, bilateral trade and humanitarian aid. They also expressed gratitude for India’s continuing support.
Meanwhile, though MEA hasn’t given a date as to when the Indian embassy will become operational in Afghanistan, they did communicate that it is being maintained by the local staff there.
“Ever since Indians left Afghanistan (August 2021) the local staff has been maintaining the embassy premises in Kabul. The staff has also always pitched in to distribute humanitarian aid that we have been sending from India,” said MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi.
However, no visas have been issued since the closure of the embassy and this will resume only after a decision is made on when to open it.
Sources say that the embassy will first open with one or two junior-level officials and will expand services depending on the situation on the ground in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the Indian delegation is likely to have Interactions with International Organisations (WFP and WHO) involved in the distribution of food and will also visit places where Indian programmes are being implemented.
Under humanitarian assistance, India has already sent 20,000 MTs of wheat, 13 tons of medicines, 500,000 doses of Covid vaccine and winter clothing.
Parts of these consignments were handed over to the India Gandhi Children Hospital, Kabul and UN specialized agencies including WHO and WFP. Furthermore, India is in the process of shipping more medical assistance and foodgrains to Afghanistan.
"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. We have also assisted UNICEF by supplying almost 60 million doses of polio vaccine and two tons of essential medicines," according to MEA.