India has said it will help Afghanistan improve its health services and aid refugees. This promise came after a meeting in Dubai between India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, and Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is the foreign minister of the Taliban.
Even though India does not officially recognize the Taliban government, it has been talking to them to understand their needs. This was the first time an Indian foreign secretary met a senior Taliban leader. India’s Ministry of External Affairs shared that they will first send help for health care and for people who had to leave their homes.
The Afghan side assured India that they understand India’s worries about security. India is concerned about terrorist groups from Pakistan that are present in Afghanistan. India has previously asked the Taliban to make sure that their country is not used to harm India.
During the meeting, both sides discussed their relationship and important events happening in the region. They agreed to use Chabahar port in Iran for trade and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Chabahar port is an important location for India to send goods without going through Pakistan.
Misri highlighted India’s strong relationship with the Afghan people and promised to help meet their urgent needs. They also talked about improving sports, especially cricket. The Taliban’s foreign minister thanked India for its ongoing support for Afghanistan.
India stopped many development projects in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control in 2021, but they are now thinking about starting new projects, in addition to their humanitarian work.
India has already sent many supplies to Afghanistan, including wheat, medicines, and vaccines. Both India and the Taliban agreed to keep in touch for future cooperation.
Before this meeting, India’s connections with the Taliban were mostly through JP Singh, a senior official in the foreign ministry. In November, Singh met with the Taliban’s defense minister for the first time.
This meeting in Dubai took place shortly after India condemned airstrikes by Pakistan in Afghanistan that killed many civilians.
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