India on Thursday reiterated its commitment to supporting the welfare and development of the Afghan people during the fourth meeting of the India-Afghanistan Joint Committee, where the two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation.
The meeting, held in New Delhi, covered cooperation in humanitarian assistance, development partnership, food security, healthcare, capacity building, education, sports, trade, visas and connectivity.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian side reaffirmed its continued commitment to addressing the welfare and development needs of the Afghan people, while the Afghan delegation expressed appreciation for India’s sustained support across multiple sectors.
The meeting was co-chaired by M. Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary (PAI) in the MEA, and Shuaib Baryalai, Director General of the First Political Division in Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“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 MEA said in a statement.
A day earlier, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita met Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, in New Delhi. The discussions focused on bilateral relations and ongoing cooperation for the welfare and development of the Afghan people.
Omari arrived in India on Tuesday on an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral engagement.
Last week, India also reaffirmed its support for Afghanistan following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory.
“We had strongly condemned the airstrikes that happened from Pakistan into Afghanistan, in which several civilian lives, including women and children, were lost. We had also reiterated our strong support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Afghanistan,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.
Jaiswal added that India continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, including medicines and other relief supplies, while supporting development projects aimed at improving the lives of the Afghan people.
-IANS
