As an important stakeholder, India looks forward to a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar led the Indian delegation at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference in Geneva on Tuesday announced that India had just concluded with the land locked country an agreement for the construction of the Shatoot dam, which would provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul city.

India had earlier built the 202-km Phul-e-Khumri transmission line that provided electricity to Kabul city.

The EAM also announced the launch of Phase-IV of the high impact community development projects in Afghanistan, which envisages more than 100 projects worth US$ 80 million that India would undertake in Afghanistan.

In his statement, EAM Jaishankar emphasized India’s long term commitment to the development of Afghanistan and the benefit of its people as a contiguous neighbor and strategic partner.

India’s development portfolio in Afghanistan has to-date amounted to over US$ 3 billion.

The EAM highlighted that no part of Afghanistan today is untouched by the 400 plus projects that India has undertaken in all 34 of Afghanistan’s provinces. More than 65,000 Afghan students have also studied in India.

EAM Jaishankar pointed out that Afghanistan’s growth has been constrained by its land locked geography and highlighted India’s efforts to provide an alternate connectivity through Chabahar port and a dedicated Air Freight Corridor between India and Afghanistan.

India’s humanitarian assistance of 75,000 tonnes of wheat to strengthen food security of Afghanistan during the Covid-19 pandemic has been transported through Chabahar port.

India has invested heavily in peace and development in Afghanistan and believes that the gains of the last two decades must be preserved and the interests of minorities, women and vulnerable sections must be ensured.

The EAM expressed concern regarding the increasing level of violence in Afghanistan and reiterated India’s call for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.

As an important stakeholder, India looks forward to walking hand in hand with the people of Afghanistan and the world community in working towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan.