In India's abstention from UN resolution vote on Afghanistan, a hint at Pakistan-sponsored terrorism
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "In India's abstention from UN resolution vote on Afghanistan, a hint at Pakistan-sponsored terrorism")
India opposed punishment-based approach to Taliban-led Afghanistan Photograph: (Others)
The Indian envoy to the UN opposed punitive measures against Afghanistan. Stressing on its longstanding ties with Afghanistan, India expressed commitment to meeting the war-torn country's humanitarian and developmental needs.
India has abstained from a vote on the draft United Nations General Assembly resolution on Afghanistan. This is significant as India slowly makes overtures to the Taliban-led regime in Afghanistan. The Indian envoy to the UN opposed punitive measures against Afghanistan. Without mentioning Pakistan directly, India asked for coordinated efforts against terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad and their sponsors. Stressing on its longstanding ties with Afghanistan, India expressed commitment to meeting the war-torn country's humanitarian and developmental needs.
India opposes punishment-based approach to Afghanistan
At the vote on Monday (July 7), India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, said a “business as usual” approach will not provide the desired outcomes for the Afghan people.
“An approach focused only on punitive measures, in our view, is unlikely to succeed," Harish said. "The United Nations and the broader international community have adopted more balanced and nuanced approaches in other post-conflict contexts.”
India hints at Pakistan-based terrorism at UN vote on Afghanistan
While stressing that India was ‘closely monitoring the security situation in Afghanistan, Harish sought coordinated international efforts to ensure that entities like Al Qaeda, ISIL, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed, “along with their regional sponsors who facilitate their operations,” no longer exploit Afghan territory for terrorism. This was an indirect reference to Pakistan.
India highlights its humanitarian aid for Afghanistan
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Harish said India's immediate priorities in Afghanistan were humanitarian assistance and capacity building', while sharing that India had supported more than 500 development projects in the country.
India also provided humanitarian aid like wheat, medicines, vaccines and pesticides, Harish noted. “We have been working closely with UN agencies to support the Afghan people in critical areas such as health, food security, education and sports.”
He also highlighted India's drug rehabilitation programmes in Afghanistan in partnership with the UNODC, the UN anti-narcotics agency.
The Indian envoy also noted how India continues to provide scholarships for Afghans, which have supported 2,000 students since 2023, including 600 girls and women.
What did the UN resolution on Afghanistan say?
Introduced by Germany, the UNGA draft resolution on ‘The situation in Afghanistan’ was adopted with 116 votes in favour; two against. India was among 12 abstentions in the vote on the resolution, which recognised Afghanistan’s role as a “land bridge in Asia” critical for regional economic development and stability.
The resolution noted the importance of regional cooperation and contributions from neighbouring countries such as India in supporting Afghan education and development.
It asked the Taliban to establish cooperation mechanisms with interested
