India seeks to engage with ‘Government of People of Afghanistan’

The spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced that the country intends to strengthen its relations with  “government of the people of Afghanistan” by focusing on humanitarian aid and developmental cooperation.

The spokesperson also mentioned India’s desire to expand trade, improve the healthcare sector, and support sports in Afghanistan.

Indian media reported on Saturday, January 18, that Randhir Jaiswal made this statement during a press briefing, describing the recent meeting between Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, and India’s Deputy Foreign Minister as the highest “level of engagement” between the two sides.

He said, “We have clearly stated that we want to take further steps to provide humanitarian assistance and engage with the government of the people of Afghanistan in the area of developmental cooperation.” Without referring to terms like “Islamic Emirate” or “Taliban,” the Indian official referred to “the people of Afghanistan” in his remarks. He added, “We have a special mission in Kabul. We want to continue the work we have there to strengthen long-term relations with the people of Afghanistan.”

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has also noted that New Delhi intends to continue its long-term relations with Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Indian media have reported that the presence of Pakistan-linked terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, is a concern for New Delhi in Afghanistan.

This comes as India’s engagement with the Taliban has increased in recent days, with the most recent example being a meeting between India’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Amir Khan Muttaqi in the United Arab Emirates.

Jaiswal also highlighted the expansion of India’s relations with Afghanistan in the field of sports, particularly cricket. India has already provided various humanitarian aids, including wheat, medicine, and vaccines, to Afghanistan, and according to the Ministry of External Affairs, the country plans to continue this support.

Moreover, expanding trade and developmental cooperation through the Chabahar port is a key part of India’s efforts to strengthen its ties with Afghanistan.

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