Ataullah Omari’s visit comes as New Delhi expands humanitarian assistance and development cooperation with Kabul….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and holding discussions on issues of mutual interest between the two countries.
Welcoming the Afghan Minister, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the visit would provide an opportunity to deepen engagement between New Delhi and Kabul.
“Welcome to India, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari. Looking forward to engaging discussions on issues of mutual interest,” the MEA posted on X.
The visit comes at a time of heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan following recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory that reportedly killed and injured several civilians.
India had strongly condemned the strikes, describing them as part of Pakistan’s “persistent pattern of reckless behaviour” and accusing Islamabad of attempting to externalise its internal challenges through violence beyond its borders.
Last week, New Delhi reiterated its commitment to supporting Afghanistan through humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.
Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had unequivocally condemned the airstrikes, which claimed the lives of civilians, including women and children, and had conveyed its condolences to the Afghan people.
“We had also reiterated our strong support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Afghanistan,” Jaiswal said.
He emphasised that India’s humanitarian engagement with Afghanistan remains ongoing despite the challenging regional situation.
“We have an ongoing humanitarian assistance cooperation. We have been sending medicines, other humanitarian support and offering development projects that can improve the lives of the Afghan people, and that continues,” he said.
India has maintained humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in recent years, supplying essential medicines, food aid and medical support to address the country’s pressing humanitarian needs.
On June 17, India dispatched another five tonnes of essential medicines to Kabul, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people.
Earlier, on May 22, India delivered 20 tonnes of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td) vaccines to support Afghanistan’s immunisation programme and strengthen healthcare services for children.
Omari’s visit is expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors while also reviewing broader areas of bilateral engagement, including India’s continued humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan.
