- I.S. Saluja
UNITED NATIONS (TIP)– india has reiterated its “paramount interest” in ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan while urging the international community to adopt a “fresh approach” beyond punitive measures to support the Afghan people reeling under poverty, disease and hunger.
Speaking at the UN Security Council session on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), India’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, praised outgoing UNAMA chief Roza Otunbayeva for her leadership and reaffirmed India’s readiness to work closely with the mission.
Harish underlined India’s long-standing civilizational ties with Afghanistan and said New Delhi continues to prioritize humanitarian aid, development cooperation and capacity-building initiatives. Since August 2021, India has delivered 50,000 tons of wheat, 330 tons of medicines and vaccines, 40,000 liters of pesticides, and other critical supplies, he noted. Following the devastating earthquake earlier this month, India dispatched more than 36 tons of relief materials, including tents, food supplies, medicines and generators, with more aid on the way.
He also highlighted India’s development footprint through over 500 projects across Afghan provinces and pointed to scholarships provided to 2,000 Afghan students, nearly 600 of them women, since 2023. India has additionally supported drug rehabilitation programs with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, particularly targeting women.
On security concerns, Harish stressed that Afghanistan must not become a safe haven for international terrorist groups. He urged strict adherence to UN Security Council sanctions against ISIL, Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and their affiliates. India, he said, welcomed Kabul’s condemnation of the April 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Arguing that “business as usual” is insufficient, Harish called for international efforts to combine incentives for positive behaviour with disincentives for harmful actions. He said the Afghan people, after more than four years under sanctions, have seen limited development opportunities, and humanitarian needs have worsened after the recent earthquake.
“This is the time for compassion, a time for lending a helping hand,” he told the Council, reaffirming India’s “non-negotiable” commitment to Afghanistan’s development and its support for international efforts towards a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.
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