Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, emphasized the enduring “civilizational relationship” between India and Afghanistan during the United Nations Security Council’s quarterly meeting on “Situation in Afghanistan” held on September 17, 2025.

“Being contiguous neighbors, our bonds of friendship span many centuries, and this history inspires us to foster closer engagement with the Afghan people,” Ambassador Harish said during the meeting.

The Ambassador expressed gratitude to Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, for her briefing. He underlined that India has a vital stake in Afghanistan’s peace and stability and stressed the importance of international and regional cooperation to address key challenges.

“We believe in the utmost importance of international and regional consensus and cooperation on key issues concerning Afghanistan and actively engage with all relevant parties to promote peace, stability and development in the country. Our participation in UN meetings in Doha and other regional forums reflects our efforts,” he added. 

Ambassador Harish outlined India’s immediate priorities, which include humanitarian assistance and capacity-building programs for the Afghan people. He highlighted that India’s commitment is reflected in more than 500 development partnership projects implemented across all Afghan provinces. “Our work with UN agencies in critical areas such as health, food security, education and sports is also the manifestation of this goal,” he added.

Citing India’s swift response to the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, Harish said, “We immediately delivered 1,000 family tents and 15 tons of food supplies to the affected provinces of Afghanistan.” An additional 21 tons of relief material, including medicines, hygiene kits, blankets, and generators, have also been dispatched, with further supplies en route.

The Ambassador noted that this aid builds on India’s broader humanitarian efforts since August 2021, which include the supply of 50,000 tons of wheat, over 330 tons of medicines and vaccines, 40,000 liters of pesticides, and other essential social support items. 

He also underscored India’s collaboration with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, which has enabled the delivery of 84 metric tons of assistance and medicines and 32 metric tons of social support items for drug rehabilitation programs, particularly those supporting women.

Education remains a key area of engagement, he said noting since 2023, India has provided scholarships to 2,000 Afghan students for undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including nearly 600 for girls and women.

On security concerns, Ambassador Harish stressed that Afghanistan’s territory must not be exploited by terrorist groups. He called for strict international coordination to ensure that entities designated by the UN Security Council, including ISIL, Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed, are prevented from operating in Afghanistan.

He also referred to India’s diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan, noting that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has spoken twice with the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan. Harish welcomed Kabul’s strong condemnation of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Addressing the broader political and developmental context, Ambassador Harish urged the adoption of a “fresh approach” toward Afghanistan, moving beyond “business as usual.” 

He stressed the need for policy tools that both encourage positive behavior and discourage harmful actions, arguing that purely punitive measures are unlikely to deliver sustainable outcomes.

“After more than four years of living under a sanctioned regime, the Afghan people have not seen much scope for enhanced development assistance and cooperation. The most unfortunate earthquake has made the situation even more dire,” he said adding “This is the time for compassion, a time for lending a helping hand to millions of Afghanis suffering under the yoke of poverty, disease and hunger.”

Reaffirming India’s long-term commitment, Ambassador Harish said, “I would like to reiterate that our commitment to meeting developmental needs of the people of Afghanistan is non-negotiable. We will continue engaging with all relevant stakeholders and broadly support the international community’s efforts towards a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.”

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