In a first since Taliban takeover, India to deliver aid to Afghanistan via Chabahar port

India is all set to deliver humanitarian assistance consisting of wheat to "Afghan people" via the Chabahar port in Iran. The India built port has been in the past used to send assistance to Afghanistan, but this is for the first time since Taliban takeover of Afghanistan that the Chabahar will be used to send assistance the landlocked country.

A ministry of external affairs statement said, "to address the current humanitarian situation, Indian side announced its partnership with UNWFP for the delivery of 20,000 MTs of wheat for Afghan people through the Chabahar Port.". India has utilized the Chabahar port to ship 75,000 MTs of wheat as humanitarian food assistance to Afghanistan in 2020.

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Taliban has welcomed the development. Taliban's Suhail Shaheen told WION that, "We greatly appreciate the delivery of 20,000 MTs of wheat for Afghan people through Chabahar Port. Such humanitarian steps boost trust between the two countries which will lead to mutual positive relations."

Last year India dispatched several shipments of humanitarian assistance consisting of 40,000 MTs of wheat, 50 tons of medicines, 500,000 doses of COVID Vaccine, winter clothing and 28 tons of disaster relief assistance. This assistance was sent over land Pakistan.

The humanitarian assistance comes even as India hasn't recognized the Taliban regime in Kabul but continues to have conversation with it. In June 2022, an Indian technical team was sent to Kabul to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

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An Indian company took over the operations of the port in December 2018. India has invested close to 85 plus million dollars development of the port which it sees as an important component of connectivity to its west--Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.

Plans are afoot to include the port in the North South Transport Corridor that connects Mumbai with Moscow. As part of its commitment towards the development of the project, India has supplied 6 mobile harbour cranes, and other equipments worth $25 million.

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Announcement came on the day when India Central Asia working group met on Afghanistan. The group includes all the 5 countries of central Asia- Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan & Uzbekistan, and this is the first time this group has met. After the meeting, a joint statement was also issued that called for inclusive govt in Kabul among other issues.

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