India engaged with Afghanistan over 500 developmental projects, majority completed Govt in LS

As for the strategy to be followed in future in this regard, MoS in his reply noted that India has civilizational ties with Afghanistan, its people and the "UNSC Resolution 2593 would continue to guide India’s approach on Afghanistan."

New Delhi: India is engaged in a development partnership with Afghanistan, which includes over 500 projects spread across 34 provinces of the country in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building, the Government informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. The information was shared by MoS External Affairs V Muraleedharan in a written reply. He also said that the "vast majority" of the projects committed to by Indian in Afghanistan have been completed and handed over.

"India and Afghanistan signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement in October 2011. The Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between the two sides, provides for assistance to help rebuild Afghanistan’s infrastructure and institutions, education and technical assistance to re-build indigenous Afghan capacity in different areas, encouraging investment in Afghanistan’s natural resources and providing duty free access to the Indian market for Afghanistan’s exports," stated the MoS.

As for the strategy to be followed in future in this regard, MoS in his reply noted that India has civilizational ties with Afghanistan, its people and the "UNSC Resolution 2593 would continue to guide India’s approach on Afghanistan."

"In this endeavor, we have already 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,"he said.