India will reopen its embassy in Kabul, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday. “Your visit marks an important step in advancing India-Afghanistan ties. As a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development.
Today, I reaffirm that our long-standing partnership, which has seen so many Indian projects in Afghanistan, stands renewed, ” Jaishankar said in talks with the Taliban Foreign Minister. “We appreciate your sensitivity towards India’s security concerns in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Independence of the Afghan people,” Jaishankar added.
“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. India will also provide MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals and deliver vaccines for immunisation and cancer medicines. We have also supplied drug rehabilitation materials through UNODC and are open to doing more.
As a first responder, Indian relief materials were delivered to the earthquake sites within hours of the disaster last month,” he said. “We would like to contribute to the reconstruction of residences in the affected areas. India has also been a significant provider of food assistance to the Afghan people. A further consignment will be delivered in Kabul today. The plight of forcibly repatriated Afghan refugees is a matter of deep concern. Their dignity and livelihood are important.”
Muttaqi is visiting India after getting UNSC approval from October 9 to 16. He met EAM Jaishankar on Friday and will visit Agra and Deoband seminary over the coming days. He will also meet the Afghan community members in India. This is the first time a Taliban foreign minister has visited India.
