NEW DELHI: A day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to acting Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in the first political contact between India and the Taliban, India is learned to have approved as a “special gesture” entry of 160 Afghan trucks carrying dry fruits and nuts through the Attari border with Pakistan. Interestingly, India is yet to formally recognise the regime in Kabul.
According to sources, Pakistan held up clearance for a while on the Wagah side for the movement of the trucks before allowing some of them to unload at Attari on Friday.
India had decided to shut the Attari-Wagah border on April 23 after the Pahalgam terrorist attack a day earlier. Pakistan has in the past allowed one-way trade between Afghanistan and India through that border, facilitating export of Afghan goods to India but no reverse exports.
At $1 billion, India is Afghanistan’s largest export market in South Asia
The meeting between EAM Jaishankar and Afghan acting foreign minister Muttaqi was the first political engagement between India and Taliban on May 15. Despite the hurdles created by transit issues in Pakistan, India remains the largest market for Afghan products in South Asia and annual trade stands at approximately $1 billion.
The one time in the recent past Pakistan did allow India to send goods to Afghanistan through the land border was in late 2021, after India proposed sending 50,000 tonnes of wheat as aid to the drought-affected country. The Taliban, who had just returned to Kabul, pushed Pakistan not to hold up clearance for the supply.
Muttaqi had called Jaishankar Thursday ahead of his upcoming visit to Iran and China, a fact India attaches a lot of significance to. Both leaders had agreed to remain in touch, and Jaishankar thanked Muttaqi for the solidarity Kabul expressed for India after the Pahalgam attack and for not buying into subsequent attempts by Pakistani authorities to sow discord between India and Taliban, including through the claim that India fired missiles at Afghanistan. A source said this was significant “posturing” given the tense situation that followed Operation Sindoor.
Since foreign secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai earlier this year, India has been looking to resume work on its projects in Afghanistan, while also considering more development cooperation projects. These efforts will likely be further expedited by India’s move to politically engage Kabul.
“We are considering humanitarian aid for Afghan refugees expelled by Pakistan,” said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity. Formal recognition, however, will have to wait as long as the international community remains convinced that Taliban dispensation is not serious about providing inclusive governance and removing restrictions on women.
“Since 2021, India has sent 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 350 tonnes of medicines, 40,000 litres of Malathion (pesticide) and 28 tonnes of earthquake relief material to Afghanistan. We have provided 2,000 online scholarships for Afghan students. This aid was appreciated by the Afghan side,” added the source.
According to sources, Pakistan held up clearance for a while on the Wagah side for the movement of the trucks before allowing some of them to unload at Attari on Friday.
India had decided to shut the Attari-Wagah border on April 23 after the Pahalgam terrorist attack a day earlier. Pakistan has in the past allowed one-way trade between Afghanistan and India through that border, facilitating export of Afghan goods to India but no reverse exports.
At $1 billion, India is Afghanistan’s largest export market in South Asia
The meeting between EAM Jaishankar and Afghan acting foreign minister Muttaqi was the first political engagement between India and Taliban on May 15. Despite the hurdles created by transit issues in Pakistan, India remains the largest market for Afghan products in South Asia and annual trade stands at approximately $1 billion.
The one time in the recent past Pakistan did allow India to send goods to Afghanistan through the land border was in late 2021, after India proposed sending 50,000 tonnes of wheat as aid to the drought-affected country. The Taliban, who had just returned to Kabul, pushed Pakistan not to hold up clearance for the supply.
Muttaqi had called Jaishankar Thursday ahead of his upcoming visit to Iran and China, a fact India attaches a lot of significance to. Both leaders had agreed to remain in touch, and Jaishankar thanked Muttaqi for the solidarity Kabul expressed for India after the Pahalgam attack and for not buying into subsequent attempts by Pakistani authorities to sow discord between India and Taliban, including through the claim that India fired missiles at Afghanistan. A source said this was significant “posturing” given the tense situation that followed Operation Sindoor.
Since foreign secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai earlier this year, India has been looking to resume work on its projects in Afghanistan, while also considering more development cooperation projects. These efforts will likely be further expedited by India’s move to politically engage Kabul.
“We are considering humanitarian aid for Afghan refugees expelled by Pakistan,” said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity. Formal recognition, however, will have to wait as long as the international community remains convinced that Taliban dispensation is not serious about providing inclusive governance and removing restrictions on women.
“Since 2021, India has sent 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 350 tonnes of medicines, 40,000 litres of Malathion (pesticide) and 28 tonnes of earthquake relief material to Afghanistan. We have provided 2,000 online scholarships for Afghan students. This aid was appreciated by the Afghan side,” added the source.
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