India Reaffirms People-Centered Policy Toward Afghanistan

DID Press: India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said New Delhi’s approach toward Afghanistan is rooted in a long history of social and cultural ties and is focused primarily on serving the Afghanistan people rather than political actors.

Speaking in response to a question from an Afghan student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jaishankar noted that relations between India and Afghanistan stretch back centuries, while governments have changed over time. He emphasized that India’s current policy toward Afghanistan is “people-centric and societal-oriented,” and that engagement with Kabul continues on this basis.

Jaishankar acknowledged that Afghanistan is facing difficult circumstances and stressed the need to address several fundamental challenges in a serious and sustained manner.

Referring to his recent meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Jaishankar described the discussions as “positive and constructive,” saying the two sides exchanged views on a range of issues. He added that India continues to cooperate with Afghanistan in development initiatives as well as food and health assistance, and that these efforts are directed toward supporting the Afghan people.