In a significant gesture, India on December 11 sent the first consignment of medicines as part of humanitarian assistance to help the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan deal with the deteriorating health situation in the country.
India has not recognised the Taliban administration in Afghanistan and has urged the international community to proceed cautiously in dealing with the Taliban in view of its rigid position on issues related to human rights.
The consignment was sent in a special Kam Air flight that brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghan minority community members here on December 10, said the Ministry of External Affairs.
“The medicines will be handed over to the representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Kabul and will be administered at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital, Kabul,” a statement from the Ministry added.
This is the first time India has sent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan after the Taliban took over Kabul in August by dislodging the government of President Ashraf Ghani.
It is an important development and is likely to be followed by large-scale humanitarian assistance from India to Afghanistan, which will be given through a transit facility in Pakistan.
It was reported earlier that India is unlikely to recognise the Taliban administration though there is a possibility that there could be medical, educational and other kinds of exchanges between India and Afghanistan.