India

India to aid Taliban in settling refugees fleeing Pakistan assault

January 9, 2025

New Delhi: India is planning to assist Afghanistan in setting up a slew of projects in the health and education sector for the rehabilitation of refugees fleeing Pakistan.

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Indian support for Afghan refugees comes at a time when Pakistan is expelling them. This has become a bone of contention between Kabul and Islamabad.

Following the meeting between foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai, India has decided to further support Afghanistan, ET has learnt.

Nearly a million refugees have been repatriated by Pakistan and Iran to Afghanistan since late 2023. The interim administration has already started distributing land to the refugees, according to Afghan officials.

Highly placed sources told ET that there is awareness on the Taliban side about the historical nature of India-Afghanistan relationship. “From the Indian side, meeting itself was in a sense the message. But we also indicated shifting of gears from a purely humanitarian approach,” an official hinted.

The two sides also discussed strengthening sports (cricket) cooperation. It was also agreed to promote the use of Chabahar port for trade and commercial activities, another official said.Misri and Muttaqi also discussed regional developments. India has condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghanistan.The Afghan side underlined its sensitivities to India’s security concerns. The Afghan minister appreciated and thanked India for continuing to engage and support the people of Afghanistan.

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