India sends diplomats to Kabul for talks with the Taliban

The Ministry of External Affairs said the team of officials led by J.P. Singh, Joint Secretary of Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the Ministry, will hold talks on humanitarian requirements.

India has sent a team of senior diplomats to Afghanistan for the first time since the embassy of India was evacuated last August following the arrival of the Taliban in the Afghan capital Kabul. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in an announcement on Wednesday said the team of officials led by J.P. Singh, Joint Secretary of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the Ministry, will hold talks with the Taliban representatives regarding the humanitarian requirements on the ground.

“During the visit, the team will meet representatives of the international organisations involved in the distribution of the humanitarian assistance. In addition, the team is expected to visit various places where Indian programmes/projects are being implemented,” the official announcement said. India shut down its embassy in Kabul as well as consulates in cities such as Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif last year as the Taliban took overpower.

The visit acquires significance as India has refused to recognise the Taliban administration and has urged the international community to go slow in recognising the Taliban. Despite the non-recognition of the Taliban, India has been supportive of the humanitarian requirements of the Afghan people and has been sending medical and food support to them since earlier this year.  

According to the MEA, New Delhi has sent 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat, 13 tonnes of medicines, 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines and winter clothing. The humanitarian consignments were sent to the Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul and were distributed with the help of multilateral organisations like the United Nations, the World Health Organisation, and the World Food Programme. 

The MEA said that more food grains and medical shipments would be sent to Afghanistan in the coming months. It was also announced that India has sent one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Iran for distribution among the Afghan refugees staying in Iran. 

“India has historical and civilisational ties with the Afghan people and these longstanding linkages will continue to guide our approach,” the official statement said.