Indian official meets Afghan defence minister, offers use of Chabahar Port to enhance trade     

In a significant move, an Indian delegation met Afghanistan's acting Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob and offered the use of Chabahar Port in Iran to businesses in his country, and also discussed extending humanitarian assistance to Kabul.

The delegation was led by JP Singh, the Joint Secretary of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the External Affairs Ministry.

During a weekly media briefing here, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said that apart from Mohammad Yaqoob, the delegation also met former President Hamid Karzai and other senior ministers, along with the heads of UN agencies.

"They had discussions on India's humanitarian assistance, also how the Chabahar Port can be utilised by the business community in Afghanistan for transactions and for export and import and any other thing that they would like to do," Jaiswal said in response to a question.

India does not recognise the Taliban regime that has been ruling Afghanistan since 2021.

India has been providing humanitarian aid, including wheat, medicines and medical supplies, to the Afghan people from time to time.

"I also want to recall here that providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan is an important part of our assistance programme and so far in the last few months, and few years, we have dispatched several shipments of humanitarian assistance. We have longstanding ties with the people of Afghanistan, and these ties will continue to guide our approach towards the country," Jaiswal said.

Earlier this year, India signed a 10-year contract with Iran to develop and operate the Chabahar Port which was built with its assistance.