India delivers food supplies to Afghanistan amid Muttaqi’s visit

New Delhi, Oct 10 Continuing with the humanitarian assistance, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, on Friday, informed that India delivered additional food supplies to Afghanistan for the people affected by the earthquake.

“India has delivered additional food supplies as part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance to those affected by the earthquake,” Jaiswal said on X.

The MEA spokesperson further informed that the announcement was made by EAM Jaishankar during his meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar met his Afghanistan counterpart Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi as both held discussions on India's support for Afghanistan's development, bilateral trade, territorial integrity and independence, people-to-people ties and capacity-building, besides several other issues.

EAM Jaishankar noted that Muttaqi's visit to India marks an "important step" in advancing bilateral ties. He also announced the handing over of five ambulances to Afghanistan.

Highlighting India's assistance to Afghanistan over the years, he said, "India has long extended support for the health security of Afghanistan, including during the Covid pandemic. We are now ready to commit to six new projects, whose details can be announced after the conclusion of our talks. A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of goodwill, and I would like to hand over 5 of them to you personally as a symbolic step."

"India will also provide MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals and deliver vaccines for immunisation and cancer medicines. We have also supplied drug rehabilitation materials through UNODC and are open to doing more. As a first responder, Indian relief materials were delivered to the earthquake sites within hours of the disaster last month. We would like to contribute to the reconstruction of residences in the affected areas. India has also been a significant provider of food assistance to the Afghan people. A further consignment will be delivered in Kabul today," he added.

Emphasising that Kabul has always valued good relations with India, Muttaqi also assured that Afghanistan won't allow its territory to be used against other countries.

"In the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, India was the first responder. Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people relations," he stated.

--IANS

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