Indian team in Kabul to oversee humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan

A team led by the Ministry of External Affairs' Joint Secretary (PAI) is currently on a visit to Kabul to oversee the delivery operations of India's humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, an official statement said on Thursday.

In a statement, the Ministry said: "During the visit, the team will meet representatives of the international organisations involved in distribution of the humanitarian assistance. In addition, the team is expected to visit various places where Indian programmes/projects are being implemented."

Under India's humanitarian assistance to the war-torn, "we have already dispatched several shipments of humanitarian assistance consisting of 20,000 MTs of wheat, 13 tonnes of medicines, 500,000 doses of Covid vaccine and winter clothing", the statement says.

"These consignments were handed over to the India Gandhi Children Hospital, Kabul and UN specialised agencies including WHO and WFP. Furthermore, India is in the process of shipping more medical assistance and foodgrains to Afghanistan."

The Ministry went on to say in the statement that in continuation with developmental partnership with Afghanistan, India has given 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 tonnes of essential medicines. India's development and humanitarian assistance has received a wide spread appreciation across the entire spectrum of Afghan society," the statement added.

According to the Ministry, the Indian team will also meet senior members of the Taliban, and hold discussions on New Delhi's humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.