India has sent a shipment of medical supplies, including bronchodilators, inhalers, and ventilators, to support the residents of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. The assistance reflects India’s approach to foreign policy focused on global cooperation and humanitarian efforts.
The humanitarian assistance to the semi-autonomous region once again spotlights India’s people-centric foreign policy and New Delhi’s commitment to the making of a ‘Vishwabandhu Bharat’, or a global friend.
In the past decade, India has contributed to relief and reconstruction efforts in Iraq, both independently and in collaboration with international initiatives under the United Nations framework.
India established a consulate in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, in August 2016 to enhance economic and commercial ties with Iraq. Several Indian businesses have participated in trade fairs and exhibitions in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah in recent years.
The Kurdistan region, comprising Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Dohuk, has seen a steady increase in Indian workers employed in sectors such as steel mills, oil companies, and construction projects. Workers from India are appreciated for their roles in these industries.
Nechirvan Barzani, President of Kurdistan region, has in recent years voiced his willingness to develop relations with India while also highlighting the capacities of the Indian labour force in the region which he says remains a “committed and professional working community”.
In February 2022, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Barzani during the Munich Security Conference. Discussions included potential initiatives for capacity building in the Kurdistan region, such as training programs in health, banking, and academic sectors.
“Topics of discussion also included the religious and ethnic diversity and the richness of the culture of peaceful coexistence and tolerance in India, the medical trips from the Kurdistan region to India and other topics of mutual interest,” read a statement issued by the President’s office after the meeting.
–IANS
