Taking an incremental step towards reopening the Indian embassy in Afghanistan, Delhi Thursday sent a “technical team” to Kabul where it will be stationed at the embassy to coordinate delivery of humanitarian aid.
India also sent aid for the people of Afghanistan, a day after a deadly earthquake claimed more than 1,000 lives in the Paktika province near the border with Pakistan.
“First consignment of India's earthquake relief assistance for the people of Afghanistan reaches Kabul. Being handed over by the Indian team there,” Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said in a Twitter post, attaching photographs of an Indian Air Force aircraft in Kabul.
First consignment of India's earthquake relief assistance for the people of Afghanistan reaches Kabul. Being handed over by the Indian team there.
Further consignment follows. pic.twitter.com/6v1oYSRZLO
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) June 23, 2022
While Delhi said the stationing of the Indian “technical team” was meant for monitoring and coordination of delivery of humanitarian aid, it is being seen as the first step towards reopening the Indian embassy which was shut in August last year when the Taliban seized control of the country.
Underlining that India has a “historical and civilizational relationship with the Afghan people,” a statement by the MEA said, “In order to closely monitor and coordinate the efforts of various stakeholders for the effective delivery of…
