Tue Mar 11 08:18:21 UTC 2025: ## India Assures UN of Continued Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan, Despite Taliban Rule

**United Nations, March 11, 2025** – India reaffirmed its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, despite concerns about the Taliban regime, during a UN Security Council meeting on Monday. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, highlighted a recent high-level meeting between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai. The meeting, the highest-level contact since the Taliban takeover in 2021, focused on bilateral relations and regional developments.

Ambassador Harish stated that the Taliban government had expressed gratitude for India’s continued support and engagement. He announced that India is considering further development projects in addition to its ongoing humanitarian aid programs, which include 27 tonnes of relief material, 50,000 tonnes of wheat, and substantial medical supplies delivered since August 2021. India’s assistance also extends to areas such as health, food security, education, sports, and capacity building, encompassing over 500 projects across Afghanistan since 2001. A partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) focuses on providing support to Afghan drug users, particularly women.

While emphasizing India’s centuries-long relationship with Afghanistan and its commitment to the Afghan people, Ambassador Harish underscored India’s close monitoring of the situation and active participation in international efforts to promote stability and peace. He reiterated India’s approach of providing humanitarian aid and working towards an international consensus to address issues between the Taliban and the international community.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, stressed the responsibility of the de facto authorities to demonstrate their commitment to reintegration into the international system and adherence to international obligations. She expressed concerns about the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, as highlighted in recent reports.

The meeting underscored India’s balancing act: providing crucial aid to the Afghan people while navigating the complexities of engaging with the Taliban regime and addressing international security concerns.

Read More