India Boosts Healthcare and Trade Ties with Afghanistan

The Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday that India will be implementing several healthcare initiatives in Afghanistan. These include establishing a Thalassemia and modern diagnostic center in Kabul, upgrading the heating system at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, and constructing a new 30-bed hospital in Kabul's Bagrami district.

In addition, India is to build an Oncology Centre, a Trauma Centre in Kabul, and five Maternity Health Clinics across the provinces of Paktika, Khost, and Paktia. In a show of goodwill, India has gifted 20 ambulances to Afghanistan. Scholarships will continue to be offered to Afghan students under the e-ICCR scholarship scheme to aid capacity building.

This announcement coincides with Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to India, marking the first high-level delegation from Afghanistan since the Taliban's 2021 takeover. The visit focused on enhancing economic cooperation, with both parties agreeing to establish a trade committee. Discussions highlighted the potential for increased trade, business, and investment.

Afghan FM Muttaqi also held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, discussing a range of key issues from economic to regional security. Jaishankar confirmed India's pledge to increase their embassy's technical presence in Kabul, alongside strengthening the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor, aiming to bolster direct trade routes.

The bilateral engagement was marked by the symbolic handing over of five ambulances by External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Muttaqi, emphasizing India's commitment as a supportive neighbor to Afghanistan's development and growth.

(With inputs from agencies.)