New Delhi, 13 September
India on Monday said it will stand by the Afghans as before, amid a serious humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Afghanistan was passing through a “critical and challenging” phase, adding that the international community should come forward to help it.
In a virtual address at a high-level meeting of the United Nations on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the minister said India has consistently supported the global body’s central role in the war-torn country’s future.
“India’s own vision for Afghanistan has always been and will continue to be guided by our historic friendship with our people,” he said.
He said a multilateral forum is always “more effective” than smaller groups of countries in building a global consensus.
The minister said that its political, economic, social and security situation has changed significantly and as a result its humanitarian needs.
Jaishankar further said that the issue of travel and safe passage emerging as a hindrance to humanitarian aid should be resolved immediately.
He said that those who want to travel in and out of Afghanistan should be given such facilities without any hindrance.
“As an immediate neighbour, India is monitoring developments with understandable concerns,” he said.
He said that the international community should come together to create the best possible enabling environment to help the country. — PTI