India's helping hand to Afghanistan, sends 1st shipment of 2.5k tonnes of wheat

In October last year, the Union government sent a proposal to Pakistan seeking transit of sending wheat to Afghanistan's people and received a positive response from Islamabad on November 24.

India on Tuesday sent the first shipment of 2,500 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan via Pakistan land routes as humanitarian assistance to the war-torn country. In total, 50,000 tonnes will be supplied to Afghanistan. 

The government has been providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan after a violent takeover by the Taliban in August last year.(Twitter/@FMamundzay)

In a photo shared by news agency ANI, foreign secretary Harsh Shringla flagged off the first convoy of supplies at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab.

In October last year, the Union government sent a proposal to Pakistan seeking transit of sending wheat to Afghanistan's people and received a positive response from Islamabad on November 24.

As per the deal, Pakistan allowed trucks from Afghanistan to collect wheat from India by way of the frontier crossing at the Attari-Wagah border. The trucks will then head for Afghanistan's Jalalabad via the Torkham border in Pakistan.

Taking to Twitter, Farid Mamundzay, Afghanistan’s ambassador to India said, “Truly an honour to witness the flagging off ceremony of India’s wheat assistance shipment to Afghanistan at Attari today. At least 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat is one of the largest food contributions done by any country to support in this difficult hour.”

The assistance comes two days after the Union government delivered 2.5 tonnes of medical assistance and clothing to Afghanistan as part of its fifth batch of medical assistance under humanitarian aid to the country.

The government has been providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan after a violent takeover by the Taliban in August last year. Afghanistan's economy is currently on the brink of collapse.

“Government is committed to providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people comprising food grains, Covid vaccines, and essential life-saving drugs,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said in January.

Meanwhile, Pakistan too has supplied food and medical supplies to Afghanistan in recent months.

(With agency inputs)