NEW DELHI: India on Friday introduced that it will additional deepen its engagement in improvement cooperation tasks, significantly within the sectors of healthcare, public infrastructure and capacity-building, in Afghanistan contemplating the war-torn nation’s urgent requirement for financial restoration and improvement.
India has additionally expressed its willingness to help the Afghan authorities in reconstructing residential buildings within the earthquake affected areas, it was acknowledged within the Joint Assertion launched after the assembly between Exterior Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and visiting Afghan Overseas Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in New Delhi.
Each side mentioned a variety of problems with mutual curiosity, in addition to necessary regional developments.
In the course of the discussions, EAM Jaishankar reiterated India’s long-standing friendship with the Afghan individuals and highlighted the deep-rooted cultural and historic ties binding the 2 nations. He conveyed India’s continued dedication to assist the aspirations and developmental wants of the Afghan individuals.
The Exterior Affairs Minister expressed condolences over the lack of lives brought on by the latest devastating earthquake in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces whereas Muttaqi appreciated India’s position as the primary responder to the catastrophe and its supply of reduction supplies.
As a particular gesture, India gifted 20 ambulances to the Afghan individuals with a symbolic handover being carried out by the EAM following his assembly with the Afghan Overseas Minister.
“As a part of India’s ongoing healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, a number of tasks are being undertaken, together with the institution of a Thalassemia Centre, a Fashionable Diagnostic Centre, and alternative of the heating system on the Indira Gandhi Institute of Baby Well being (IGICH) in Kabul. Moreover, India will assemble a 30-bed hospital in Kabul’s Bagrami district, an Oncology Centre and a Trauma Centre in Kabul, and 5 Maternity Well being Clinics within the provinces of Paktika, Khost, and Paktia. About 75 prosthetic limbs have been efficiently fitted to Afghan nationals, which was extensively appreciated by each the Afghan authorities and the worldwide neighborhood. India may also proceed to increase medical help and supply high-quality healthcare therapy to Afghan nationals,” learn the India-Afghanistan Joint Assertion.
The 2 sides additionally reviewed the progress of Indian humanitarian help programmes to Afghanistan, which embody provide of meals grains, social assist objects, faculty stationery, catastrophe reduction supplies and pesticides.
“The Exterior Affairs Minister reaffirmed India’s dedication to persevering with such help. The Overseas Minister expressed appreciation to the Authorities of India for its complete and beneficiant humanitarian assist, together with in offering essential materials assist to handle the pressing wants of forcibly repatriated refugees in Afghanistan,” the assertion talked about.
“Within the area of capacity-building, India continues to supply scholarships to Afghan college students underneath the e-ICCR scholarship scheme. Different avenues for Afghan college students to pursue research at Indian universities underneath the ICCR and different scholarship programmes are underneath energetic consideration,” it added.
Each side additionally welcomed the graduation of the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Hall, which is able to additional improve direct commerce and commerce between the 2 nations. The brand new hall is predicted to streamline connectivity and increase bilateral commerce. The Afghan facet invited Indian firms to spend money on the mining sector which might assist strengthen the bilateral commerce and industrial relations.
“Appreciating India’s help in building and upkeep of India-Afghanistan Friendship Dam (Salma Dam) in Herat, each side additionally underscored the significance of sustainable water administration and agreed to cooperate on hydroelectric tasks with a view to addressing Afghanistan’s vitality wants and assist its agricultural improvement,” the Joint Assertion detailed.
In the course of the discussions, Exterior Affairs Minister Jaishankar expressed his deep appreciation to Afghanistan for its robust condemnation of the heinous April 22 terrorist assault in Pahalgam in addition to for the honest condolences and solidarity expressed with the individuals and Authorities of India. Each side unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional nations and underscored the significance of selling peace, stability, and mutual belief within the area.
“Each side emphasised respect for one another’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Exterior Affairs Minister appreciated the Afghan facet’s understanding of India’s safety considerations. The Afghan Overseas Minister reiterated the dedication that the Afghan authorities is not going to enable any group or particular person to make use of the territory of Afghanistan towards India,” it was acknowledged.
The 2 sides additionally mentioned methods to additional strengthen cooperation in sports activities, particularly cricket, to advance cultural interactions.