In A First Since Taliban Takeover, India To Deliver Aid To Afghanistan Via Chabahar Port

New Delhi: India on Tuesday (March 7, 2023) announced to deliver humanitarian assistance consisting of wheat to Afghanistan via the Chabahar port in Iran. This is the first time since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2020 that the India-built Chabahar port will be used to send assistance to the landlocked country. 

According to an official statement, the Indian side has announced its partnership with United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) for the delivery of 20,000 MTs of wheat for "Afghan people" through the Chabahar Port to address the "current humanitarian situation".

In 2020, India had utilized the Chabahar port to ship 75,000 MTs of wheat as humanitarian food assistance to Afghanistan.

Taliban welcome India's assistance

Taliban welcomed the development and said that they "greatly appreciate" the delivery of 20,000 MTs of wheat.

Speaking to Zee News, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said, "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."

The humanitarian assistance comes even as India hasn't recognized the Taliban regime in Kabul but continues to have a conversation with it. 

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The announcement came on the day when India-Central Asia working group met in Afghanistan. 

The group includes all five countries of Central Asia -- Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan -- and this was the first time that the group has met. 

After the meeting, a joint statement was also issued that called for an inclusive government in Kabul among other issues.