India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said in his opening remarks with visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at New Delhi's Hyderabad House on Friday.
"Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience," Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar's remarks come amid US President Donald Trump's announcement last month about re-taking the Bagram Air Base as well as reports of Pakistani cross-border strikes in Afghanistan on Thursday. A Joint Statement issued at the Moscow Format Meeting this week, which was attended by Indian Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar, said that "attempts by countries to deploy their military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighbouring states" were unacceptable since these don't "serve the interests of regional peace and stability."
The Indian Foreign Minister sought close coordination with Afghanistan to combat cross-border terrorism, while appreciating Kabul's condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
"We appreciate your sensitivity towards India’s security concerns. Your solidarity with us in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack was noteworthy," he said.
Significantly, Jaishankar announced that New Delhi would be upgrading its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of an Embassy, which may be seen as a step towards full diplomatic recognition of the Taliban-led interim government in the future.
New Delhi had evacuated its then Ambassador to Kabul, Rudrendra Tandon, after the Taliban came back to power on 15 August, 2021. In 2022, the Indian government deployed a technical team to the Indian mission to coordinate humanitarian assistance to the country.
Jaishankar also said that the India-Afghanistan developmental partnership, which has more or less been on hold since 2021, was finally being "renewed".
"We can discuss the maintenance and repairs of finished projects as well as steps to complete others to which we have already committed. Beyond that, other development priorities of Afghanistan can be discussed by our teams," the top Indian diplomat told his Afghan counterpart.
Before 2021, India was the largest developmental partner for Afghanistan in the region, with India-funded projects located in all of 34 provinces in Afghanistan and overall funding exceeding over $3 billion.
"As a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development and progress," Jaishankar said.
The Indian minister also announced a slew of health, food security and humanitarian assistance measures during the meeting.
"We are now ready to commit to six new projects, whose details can be announced after the conclusion of our talks," he said.
A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of good will and I would like to handover five of them to you personally as a symbolic step. India will also provide MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals and deliver vaccines for immunization and cancer medicines. We have also supplied drug rehabilitation materials through UNODC and are open to doing more, Jaishankar detailed.
Noting that India was the "first responder" to provide relief material to Afghanistan following last month's earthquake, Jaishankar said that India would also like to contribute to the re-construction of the affected sites.
The top diplomat said that India would also be providing another consignment of food aid to Afghanistan, which would be delivered later in the day.
Jaishankar also reiterated India's support to help in the rehabilitation of Afghan refugees forcibly being evacuated from neighbouring nations, describing the issue as a "matter of deep concern".
"Their dignity and livelihood is important. India agrees to help construct residences for them and continue providing material aid to rebuild their lives," he said.
The Indian diplomat said that New Delhi was also ready to cooperate with Afghanistan on the "sustainable management of its water resources", while recalling the history of cooperation in the field.
In terms of trade and investment, Jaishankar said that India was ready to discuss Afghanistan's interest in inviting Indian mining companies.
"We have a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce," Jaishankar said, adding that he was glad to see an expanded direct flight connectivity between the two capitals.
On people-to-people links, Jaishankar said that India would expand avenues for Afghan students to pursue studies at Indian universities, while noting India's capacity-building assistance to Afghan youth.
"India has introduced a new visa module for Afghan people in April 2025. As a result, we are now issuing a greater number of visas, including in medical, business and student categories," he said.
Jaishankar also expressed India's desire to deepen its support for Afghanistan's cricket team, describing the growth of Afghan cricket in recent years as "truly impressive".