Indian wheat to feed Afghans on the brink of starvation
India’s decision to send 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat and life-saving medicines to Afghanistan through the Wagah border in Pakistan without conditionalities marks the first tangible engagement with the Taliban ever since it captured Kabul in August last. By doing so, India is walking the talk on providing humanitarian aid to the nation that became a basket case following crippling sanctions and an international freeze on its assets. UN estimates suggest about 55% of the Afghan population, which would work out to about 22.8 million people, face food insecurity this winter.
Of them, a whopping 9 million face life-threatening famine, including 1 million babies. India first made the offer in October on the sidelines of a conference in Russia. The question of transportation then became the sticking point as Pakistan refused to let Indian trucks take the goods right up to the Afghan border. The ban on Indo-Pak trade through land since 2019 following the reorganisation of J&K complicated matters. It finally got resolved last week when Pakistan allowed Afghan trucks to take charge of the goods from the Wagah border. The actual handover will take some more time.
This is the first time India does not have its feet on the ground in Afghanistan, as it evacuated all diplomats in August. During the earlier Taliban regime, New Delhi had a functional mission, which facilitated funneling development aid. As of now, 10 countries have resumed embassy services and the EU is in the process of setting up a joint mission in Kabul. There is no illusion, though, that the Taliban has changed its spots despite recently making some noises about women’s rights. Reports of enforced disappearances of tens of former members of the Afghan security forces despite a general amnesty announced by the Taliban indicated its double-speak.
India is understandably wary of restoring diplomatic ties as it does not want to accord legitimacy to the brutal regime. Expecting the Taliban to stop exporting terror would be naive as it is fostered by Pakistan. Since poverty spawns terror, long-term economic coersion too has its downside. The need of the hour is to manage the situation while not losing the goodwill earned over decades of people-centric support.