Fourth Round of Joint Committee Meeting Held in New Delhi
India and Afghanistan conducted the fourth round of the India-Afghanistan Joint Committee Meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, taking stock of the full spectrum of bilateral relations. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement detailing the discussions, which covered humanitarian assistance, development partnership, food security, healthcare, capacity building, education, sports, trade, visa policies, and connectivity.
Co-Chairs and Key Participants
The meeting was co-chaired by M. Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary (PAI) from India's MEA, and Shuaib Baryalai, Director General of the First Political Division at Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the MEA statement, the Indian side reiterated its continued commitment to supporting the welfare and development needs of the Afghan people. The Afghan side appreciated India's sustained support and cooperation across various sectors.
Reaffirmation of Regular Consultations
Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining regular consultations and agreed to remain in close contact. The next round of the Joint Committee Meeting will be held at a mutually convenient time, the statement added.
Afghan Delegation Meets MoS Pabitra Margherita
On Wednesday, the Afghan delegation also met Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita in New Delhi. In a post on X, Margherita stated, "The discussions focused on India-Afghanistan bilateral relations, including ongoing cooperation for the welfare and development of the Afghan people."
Afghan Agriculture Minister Arrives in New Delhi
Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday, further underscoring the agricultural and developmental aspects of the bilateral engagement.
MEA Spokesperson Highlights Humanitarian Assistance
Earlier, at a press briefing in the national capital, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India's assistance to Afghanistan. He said, "We have an ongoing humanitarian assistance cooperation. We have been sending them medicines... and also been offering development projects which can bring benefit to the lives of people there."
India Condemns Pakistani Airstrikes on Afghanistan
India also doubled down on its criticism of Pakistan for supporting cross-border terrorism and strongly condemned the airstrikes conducted by Pakistan into Afghanistan, which resulted in the loss of several civilian lives, including women and children.
