India delivered a fourth batch of medical assistance, consisting of 3 tonnes of life-saving medicines, to Afghanistan on Saturday. This is part of New Delhi’s ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the country, which has been facing multiple crises. The consignment was transported via a flight and handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated on Saturday that India remains committed to its special relationship with the people of Afghanistan and will continue to provide humanitarian assistance.
In recent months, India has already sent three batches of medical aid, including vaccines and essential medicines, to Afghanistan. These shipments were also sent via flights and were handed over to the World Health Organization for distribution and the Indira Gandhi Children Hospital.
Since falling under Taliban control in August 2020, Afghanistan has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, drought, and economic collapse, exacerbating the crisis in the country.
In the upcoming weeks, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that more batches of humanitarian assistance, including medicines and food grains, will be sent to the people of Afghanistan.
India is also set to send wheat to Afghanistan through Pakistani territory starting early next month, following discussions and agreements between New Delhi and Islamabad. The wheat will be transported by Afghan trucks, as per the agreed modalities.
According to reports from Pakistani media, Islamabad initially proposed using its trucks under the UN banner to transport the aid to Kabul. However, India insisted on using Indian or Afghan trucks. Eventually, it was agreed that Afghan trucks would carry the wheat, with a list of Afghan contractors shared with Pakistan.
The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that all arrangements have been made, and Islamabad is awaiting the date for the first consignment.
India had submitted a proposal to Pakistan on October 7 last year to transport 50,000 tonnes of wheat and medicines to Afghanistan through Pakistani soil. Islamabad granted transit permission on November 24.
During a media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson mentioned that 3.6 tonnes of medical assistance and 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been supplied in recent weeks.
The process of procuring wheat and arranging its transportation is currently underway, which may take some time.
The first batch of aid sent by India to Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover was on January 1, with 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as a gift. Subsequent shipments of medicines and vaccines followed throughout the month.
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