India delivers ambulances to Afghanistan as health care cooperation grows

India has delivered a consignment of ambulances to Afghanistan, fulfilling an earlier commitment made during high-level talks in New Delhi. The delivery follows an announcement in October, when India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in the Indian capital Delhi. During the meeting, Mr Jaishankar described the gift as a "gesture of goodwill". "A gift of 20 ambulances is a gesture of goodwill, and I would like to handover 5 of them to you personally as a symbolic step," Mr Jaishankar said at the time. "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."

The delivery of the ambulances is part of broader India-Afghanistan healthcare cooperation. Projects include establishing a Thalassemia Centre, a Modern Diagnostic Centre, and replacing the heating system at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Kabul. India has also pledged to build a 30-bed hospital in Kabul's Bagrami district, an Oncology Centre, a Trauma Centre in the capital, and five Maternity Health Clinics in the provinces of Paktika, Khost, and Paktia.

Around 75 prosthetic limbs have been fitted to Afghan nationals, a programme that has received appreciation from Afghan authorities. Earlier this month, Afghan Public Health Minister Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali visited India, where he held talks with his Indian counterpart. Discussions focused on long-term medicine supplies, capacity-building, and infrastructure support. A symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines occurred, with larger consignments, including a 128-slice CT scanner, set to follow.

India continues to provide medical visas for Afghans for treatment in Indian hospitals. Speaking to WION, the health minister said, "Afghans have been regularly travelling to India for medical treatment for a long time. Medical visas have been a vital humanitarian channel." The Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan administration has been focusing on tertiary healthcare projects, including specialised hospitals, diagnostic centres, and cancer treatment facilities. Both countries discussed forming a Joint Working Group on Health, establishing cancer treatment facilities in Afghanistan, and sending Indian medical teams for capacity-building programmes for Afghan doctors.

Reducing reliance on Pakistan

The latest delivery reinforces New Delhi's commitment to Afghanistan's welfare. Development comes as Afghanistan is trying to reduce reliance on neighbouring Pakistan, after the country attacked Kabul, border areas killing civilians, including children, women and cricketers. In November 2025, the Afghan government announced a complete ban on importing pharmaceutical products from Pakistan, citing poor quality. A three-month transition period was given for importers to settle debts with Pakistani suppliers and shift to alternative sources.