Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, has stated that his country aims to expand its long-term relationship with the Islamic Emirate de-facto government in Afghanistan by focusing on humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.
He shared this during a press conference on Friday, emphasizing that India is collaborating in sectors such as sports, healthcare, and trade under the ruling of the Islamic Emirate. “We aim to take more actions to provide humanitarian aid and engage with the Afghan government and people on developmental cooperation. We have a special mission in Kabul, and we want to continue efforts that strengthen our long-term relationship with the Afghan people,” he said.
Jaiswal also highlighted India’s agreement to expand trade with Afghanistan through the Chabahar port.
The spokesperson referred to the recent meeting between Vikram Misri, the Indian Deputy Minister of External Affairs, and Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate, as a sign of “the highest level of interaction” between the two countries.
Economic experts consider the willingness of countries to expand their relations and cooperation with Afghanistan as essential but believe it requires groundwork and management by the de-facto government.
Qotbuddin Yaqubi, an economic expert, said: “India has significant economic influence globally. Its presence in Afghanistan, both diplomatically and economically, could lead to improvements in Afghanistan’s situation and further strengthen bilateral ties.”
Another economic expert, Silab Samandar, views the de-facto government’s efforts alongside India as a way to exert pressure on Pakistan. “India wants to reduce Pakistan’s influence in Afghanistan and assert its own. The Islamic Emirate can leverage this opportunity to address economic challenges effectively,” he noted.
Over the past three years, India has provided humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in areas such as wheat, medicine, and vaccinations, continually emphasizing the importance of continuing this cooperation.
