India on Thursday reopened its embassy in Kabul in a limited manner by deploying a “technical team” to monitor and coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance. New Delhi has also stepped in to provide relief to the earthquake-hit Paktika in northeastern Afghanistan.
New Delhi had pulled out all Indian staff from its Kabul embassy as well as consulates in Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad and Mazar-e-Sharif in mid-August 2021 last year following the Islamic Emirate (IEA) takeover of Afghanistan.
Based on media reports, recent contacts with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) paved the way for returning Indian officials to Kabul.
Indian external affairs ministry in a statement said that its technical team arrived on Thursday in Kabul and stationed in its embassy. The statement said that the technical team has been deployed to monitor and coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
“In order to closely monitor and coordinate the efforts of various stakeholders for the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and in continuation of our engagement with the Afghan people, an Indian technical team has reached Kabul today and has been deployed in our embassy there,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has welcomed India’s decision on returning diplomats and technical teams to their embassy in Kabul to continue their relations with the people of Afghanistan and their humanitarian assistance.
“The return of Indian diplomats to Afghanistan and reopening of embassy demonstrates that security is established in the country, and all political and diplomatic rights are respected,” said a statement released by Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
The statement added that the IEA assured all existing embassies that the security of their compounds would be taken care in line with international diplomatic practices. In the statement, the IEA called on other countries to return to their diplomatic compounds and reopen their embassies.
On June 2, India had sent its first team to Kabul under an MEA joint secretary to assess the state of Indian projects in the country and speak to the IEA leadership.
Joint secretary J.P. Singh met Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister, and visited some Indian projects besides the mission in Kabul, which had kept running with local staff who also assisted with the delivery of the humanitarian assistance India had sent over the past few months. New Delhi has sent 27 tons of emergency relief assistance for the people in Afghanistan after a deadly earthquake jolted the nation, killing at least 1,000 people. The relief assistance consists of items including family ridge tents, sleeping bags, blankets and sleeping mats.
“The government of India, as a true first responder, has dispatched 27 tons of emergency relief assistance in two flights for the people of Afghanistan,” it said in a statement.
“As always, India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, with whom we share centuries old ties, and remains firmly committed to provide immediate relief assistance for the Afghan people,” it added.
With India reopened its embassy in Kabul, Afghan citizens have expressed happiness and appreciated the country for its good step. A number of Afghan students who had passed various scholarships from Indian universities hope they could get visas from the India embassy to follow their studies at the country’s top universities.
On the other hand, most patients who have been under treatment at Indian hospitals could not continue to travel to India for treatment due to the fact that India’s embassy was closed in Kabul. India by deploying its technical team to its embassy in Kabul can do more for the people of Afghanistan.
Saida Ahmadi
India reopens embassy in Afghanistan
