New Delhi: India plans to give humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees who have been expelled by Pakistan. Pakistan has been expelling Afghan refugees as part of a repatriation campaign that intensified in 2023, citing security concerns and economic pressures. The deportations have sparked humanitarian concerns.
Both sides are also discussing having India-supported development projects in Afghanistan. In the past, India has played an instrumental role in building dams, cricket stadiums, and community development projects in the country.
The development comes amid the first ever talks between India&rsquo;s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The Afghan Acting Foreign Minister spoke to India&rsquo;s foreign minister just ahead of his scheduled visits to Iran and China slated for next week.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jaishankar-thanks-taliban-for-condemning-pahalgam-attack-holds-first-high-level-talks-since-2021-afghanistan-takeover-operation-sindoor-pakistan-9073712">Pakistan on 'probation,' faces 'strict punishment' without behaviour change warns Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh</a>
During the talks, the Afghan side condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and rejected the Pakistani misinformation that Indian missiles reached Afghanistan. The readout said, &ldquo;India welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.&rdquo;
Afghanistan also hopes for Indian visas for its traders. An Afghan readout said, &ldquo;Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, trade, and elevating the level of diplomatic ties.&rdquo;
Trade has been a key part of the engagement. ⁠Both sides are considering to enhance bilateral trade from the current $ 1 billion. The Indian side also granted clearance, as a special gesture, for entry of 160 Afghan trucks carrying dry fruits and nuts through Attari. This despite the Wagah-Attari border being effectively closed for India-Pakistan trade.
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-al-qaeda-terrorist-to-trumps-tough-attractive-guy-story-of-syrian-president-ahmed-al-sharaa-9073460" target="_blank" rel="noopener">From al-Qaeda terrorist to Trump's 'tough attractive guy': Story of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa</a>
The talks between the foreign ministers is an elevation in terms of the engagement between India and Afghanistan. The Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Afghan Acting FM Muttaqi in January, while Joint Secretary Anand Prakash, who is the head of MEA's Pakistan, Afghanistan &amp; Iran (PAI) division, held a meeting with Muttaqi and his team in the last week of April.
India has been a long-standing partner of Afghanistan. Since 2021, India has sent 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 350 tonnes of medicines, 40,000 litres of Malathion and 28 tonnes of earthquake relief material to Afghanistan. Delhi has also provided 2000 online scholarships for Afghan students, something that has been welcomed by Kabul.

India News | Afghanistan: After the talks, the Indian MEA readout said, “India welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.”

New Delhi: India plans to give humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees who have been expelled by Pakistan. Pakistan has been expelling Afghan refugees as part of a repatriation campaign that intensified in 2023, citing security concerns and economic pressures. The deportations have sparked humanitarian concerns. Both sides are also discussing having India-supported development projects in Afghanistan. In the past, India has played an instrumental role in building dams, cricket stadiums, and community development projects in the country. The development comes amid the first ever talks between India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The Afghan Acting Foreign Minister spoke to India’s foreign minister just ahead of his scheduled visits to Iran and China slated for next week. Also Read | Pakistan on 'probation,' faces 'strict punishment' without behaviour change warns Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh During the talks, the Afghan side condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and rejected the Pakistani misinformation that Indian missiles reached Afghanistan. The readout said, “India welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.” Afghanistan also hopes for Indian visas for its traders. An Afghan readout said, “Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, trade, and elevating the level of diplomatic ties.” Trade has been a key part of the engagement. ⁠Both sides are considering to enhance bilateral trade from the current $ 1 billion. The Indian side also granted clearance, as a special gesture, for entry of 160 Afghan trucks carrying dry fruits and nuts through Attari. This despite the Wagah-Attari border being effectively closed for India-Pakistan trade. Also read | From al-Qaeda terrorist to Trump's 'tough attractive guy': Story of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa The talks between the foreign ministers is an elevation in terms of the engagement between India and Afghanistan. The Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Afghan Acting FM Muttaqi in January, while Joint Secretary Anand Prakash, who is the head of MEA's Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran (PAI) division, held a meeting with Muttaqi and his team in the last week of April. India has been a long-standing partner of Afghanistan. Since 2021, India has sent 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 350 tonnes of medicines, 40,000 litres of Malathion and 28 tonnes of earthquake relief material to Afghanistan. Delhi has also provided 2000 online scholarships for Afghan students, something that has been welcomed by Kabul.

India, Afghanistan working on humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees, trade, development cooperation

The US military executed its inaugural humanitarian aid airdrop into Gaza, utilizing three C-130 planes, as disclosed by two anonymous US officials on Saturday (March 2).

The airdrop involved more than 35,000 meals, and the White House affirmed its commitment to sustaining these efforts, noting Israel's support for the initiative.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-start-airdrops-of-aid-into-gaza-in-days-ahead-biden-695710">US to start airdropping food, supplies into Gaza in days ahead: Biden</a>

In solidarity, several nations, including France, Egypt, and Jordan, have also conducted airdrops to provide aid to Gaza.

The gravity of the situation in the Gaza Strip is underscored by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reporting that at least 576,000 people, constituting a quarter of the enclave's population, are on the brink of famine.

Disturbingly, individuals resorting to consuming animal feed for survival and reports from medics highlighting cases of children succumbing to malnutrition and dehydration have prompted the U.N. to acknowledge "overwhelming obstacles" in delivering essential aid.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-hoping-for-gaza-ceasefire-deal-by-ramadan-says-biden-695706">Israel-Hamas war: Hoping for Gaza ceasefire deal by Ramadan, says Biden</a>

Earlier on Friday, United States President Joe Biden said that the country will start airdropping food and supplies as part of humanitarian aid into Gaza in the days ahead.

On Thursday (Feb 29), a huge crowd of people in North Gaza rushed towards food aid trucks after which the Israeli forces guarding those trucks opened fire at them.

"The loss of life is heartbreaking. People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid in," Biden said.&nbsp;

He added, "And we need to do more in the United States, will do more. In the coming days, we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops."&nbsp;

"In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, we're gonna -- we're gonna insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the help they need. No excuses because the truth is, aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough," the US president further said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The US military executed its inaugural humanitarian aid airdrop into Gaza, utilizing three C-130 planes, as disclosed by two anonymous US officials on Saturday (March 2).

The US military executed its inaugural humanitarian aid airdrop into Gaza, utilizing three C-130 planes, as disclosed by two anonymous US officials on Saturday (March 2). The airdrop involved more than 35,000 meals, and the White House affirmed its commitment to sustaining these efforts, noting Israel's support for the initiative. Also read: US to start airdropping food, supplies into Gaza in days ahead: Biden In solidarity, several nations, including France, Egypt, and Jordan, have also conducted airdrops to provide aid to Gaza. The gravity of the situation in the Gaza Strip is underscored by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reporting that at least 576,000 people, constituting a quarter of the enclave's population, are on the brink of famine. Disturbingly, individuals resorting to consuming animal feed for survival and reports from medics highlighting cases of children succumbing to malnutrition and dehydration have prompted the U.N. to acknowledge "overwhelming obstacles" in delivering essential aid. Also Read: Israel-Hamas war: Hoping for Gaza ceasefire deal by Ramadan, says Biden Earlier on Friday, United States President Joe Biden said that the country will start airdropping food and supplies as part of humanitarian aid into Gaza in the days ahead. On Thursday (Feb 29), a huge crowd of people in North Gaza rushed towards food aid trucks after which the Israeli forces guarding those trucks opened fire at them. "The loss of life is heartbreaking. People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid in," Biden said. He added, "And we need to do more in the United States, will do more. In the coming days, we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops." "In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, we're gonna -- we're gonna insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the help they need. No excuses because the truth is, aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough," the US president further said. (With inputs from agencies)

US conducts initial airdrop of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, officials say

The NSA of Iran, Russia and five central Asian countries have held security talks in India's capital New Delhi. Top security officials reiterated their support for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, expressed concern over the security situation in the country and condemned the attacks.

India: Afghanistan security dialogue concludes, emphasis on terrorism, humanitarian assistance

The Taliban have been desperate to get international recognition as the official government of Afghanistan. America and the United Nations have allowed limited humanitarian assistance into the country. WION tells you more.

US and UN allow limited humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan

Belarusian Olympic athlete, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, finally landed in Poland after making a stopover in Vienna, after facing indirect threats from home country’s government.

The Polish airline LOT flight from Vienna, where she stopped over on her way from Tokyo, landed in Warsaw at 8:11pm (1811 GMT), according to the arrivals screen at Warsaw Airport.

Earlier, an Austrian plane landed at Vienna airport after 3 pm (local time). This was a&nbsp;small stopover for the Olympic athlete on the way to Poland.&nbsp;"According to our information, she is scheduled to head to Warsaw this evening," an Austrian foreign ministry spokesman told AFP earlier on Wednesday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/poland-offers-humanitarian-visa-to-belarusian-sprinter-krystsina-tsimanouskaya-402463">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/poland-offers-humanitarian-visa-to-belarusian-sprinter-krystsina-tsimanouskaya-402463/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This news has come after Poland offered her a humanitarian visa, along with her husband. "Mrs&nbsp;Tsimanouskaya's husband has also just received a Polish humanitarian visa," Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller told reporters.

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya hit the news when she openly criticised her state-appointed Olympic coaches, which caused trouble for her in Belarus. She took to Instagram to complain about her coaches who allegedly entered her into a race without informing her.

She was also one of more than 2,000 Belarusian Olympic athletes who had signed an open letter demanding the freeing of political prisoners and had also called for fresh and fair elections.

After her comments, her husband, too, had to flee Belarus. He is reported to have flown to Ukraine, after which he is scheduled to meet his wife in Poland, as per media reports. The couple will, reportedly, make their permanent stop in Poland, which stands strongly against Belarus leader &nbsp;Alexander Lukashenko and has become a hotspot for the majority of the dissidents.

(With inputs from agencies)

Belarusian Olympic athlete, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, finally landed in Poland after making a stopover in Vienna, after facing indirect threats from home country’s government.

Belarusian Olympic athlete, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, finally landed in Poland after making a stopover in Vienna, after facing indirect threats from home country’s government. The Polish airline LOT flight from Vienna, where she stopped over on her way from Tokyo, landed in Warsaw at 8:11pm (1811 GMT), according to the arrivals screen at Warsaw Airport. Earlier, an Austrian plane landed at Vienna airport after 3 pm (local time). This was a small stopover for the Olympic athlete on the way to Poland. "According to our information, she is scheduled to head to Warsaw this evening," an Austrian foreign ministry spokesman told AFP earlier on Wednesday. WATCH | This news has come after Poland offered her a humanitarian visa, along with her husband. "Mrs Tsimanouskaya's husband has also just received a Polish humanitarian visa," Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller told reporters. Krystsina Tsimanouskaya hit the news when she openly criticised her state-appointed Olympic coaches, which caused trouble for her in Belarus. She took to Instagram to complain about her coaches who allegedly entered her into a race without informing her. She was also one of more than 2,000 Belarusian Olympic athletes who had signed an open letter demanding the freeing of political prisoners and had also called for fresh and fair elections. After her comments, her husband, too, had to flee Belarus. He is reported to have flown to Ukraine, after which he is scheduled to meet his wife in Poland, as per media reports. The couple will, reportedly, make their permanent stop in Poland, which stands strongly against Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko and has become a hotspot for the majority of the dissidents. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarusian Olympic athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya lands in Poland after receiving humanitarian visa

United States-Taliban agreement to end nearly 18 years of fighting raises questions about whether humanitarian aid will decline as foreign troops withdraw in Afghanistan.

Afghan children malnourished, aid uncertain

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