In Afghanistan, the Foreign Secretary said that New Delhi is concerned about the implications of the recent developments for India and the region.
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday said that as a neighboring country of Afghanistan, India is naturally concerned about the recent changes in that country and their implications for the region.
Referring to a recent resolution on Afghanistan by the United Nations Security Council, he said it addresses key pending issues and demands that Afghan territory not be used for shelter, training, planning or financing terrorist acts. should be done.
Foreign Secretary was speaking at the 6th JP Morgan ‘India Investor Summit’. “The situation in our neighbourhood, particularly in Afghanistan and with China on our eastern borders, reminds us that while new realities are making themselves felt, traditional security challenges remain,” he said.
Talking about the eastern Ladakh standoff, Shringla said that Chinese efforts to unilaterally change the status quo in the region in the past one year have seriously disturbed the peace and tranquility in the border areas.
“We have made it clear to the Chinese side that peace and tranquility in the border areas is essential for the development of our relations. The development of India-China relations can only be based on ‘three mutuals’- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest,” he said.
In Afghanistan, the Foreign Secretary said that New Delhi is concerned about the implications of the recent developments for India and the region.
“As an immediate neighbour, we are naturally concerned about the recent changes within Afghanistan and their implications for us and the region,” he said.
He said India’s immediate focus is on the evacuation of Indian nationals from Afghanistan and most Indian nationals are able to leave Kabul in August.
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“Many Afghans, including minorities, who wanted to travel to India have also been able to do so. However, the process could not be completed due to the security situation at the airport,” he said.
“Therefore, resumption of flights from Kabul airport is a priority. We are monitoring the situation closely,” Shringla said.
He also referred to United Nations Security Council resolution 2593 on Afghanistan, which was adopted on 30 August under India’s chairmanship of the global body, and said it comprehensively addresses the main pending issues relating to that country.
“The resolution demands that Afghan territory should not be used to shelter, train, plan or finance terrorist acts, and in particular terrorists banned by the United Nations Security Council, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed refers to individuals,” Shringla said.
The Foreign Secretary said that India is also monitoring developments related to the humanitarian needs of Afghanistan.
“In the UNDP assessment, there is an imminent threat of a rise in poverty levels in Afghanistan. There is also an imminent threat of drought and a food security crisis,” he said.
“It is important to provide unrestricted and direct access to Afghanistan to humanitarian aid providers,” the foreign secretary said.
They also underlined the need to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed to all sections of Afghan society in a “non-discriminatory manner”.
“India’s vision for Afghanistan is guided by our civilizational ties with the Afghan people. We have extended over USD 3 billion as development assistance for the welfare of the people of Afghanistan,” he said.
The Foreign Secretary said that India has undertaken more than 500 developmental projects in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. “These initiatives have earned us tremendous goodwill in the country. Our friendship with the Afghan people will continue to guide our vision in the future,” he said.
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