India strongly condemned Pakistan’s recent airstrikes on Afghanistan during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, highlighting that the attacks resulted in the deaths of women, children, and even local cricketers.
India also supported concerns raised by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and urged the global community to adopt a “pragmatic engagement” strategy with the Taliban to encourage positive behaviour.
India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, stressed that punitive-only approaches have failed to produce meaningful change over the past four and a half years.
“India calls for a pragmatic engagement with the Taliban. A coherent policy should incentivise positive actions. Focusing only on punitive measures will ensure a ‘business as usual’ approach continues,” Harish said.
India Reaffirms Commitment to Afghanistan’s Development
Harish noted that India remains committed to addressing the humanitarian and development needs of the Afghan people. He underlined that New Delhi’s recent decision to restore its technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy demonstrates its long-term resolve.
“We will continue our engagements with all stakeholders to augment our contributions to Afghanistan’s comprehensive development, humanitarian assistance, and capacity-building initiatives,” he added.
India Condemns Civilian Deaths in Pakistan’s Strikes
During the UNSC discussion, India criticised Pakistan’s cross-border strikes and echoed the UNAMA’s concerns over the killing of Afghan civilians.
“India echoes UNAMA’s concern over airstrikes and condemns the killing of innocent women, children and cricketers in Afghanistan,” Harish noted.
He also warned against what he described as “trade and transit terrorism”—a reference to Pakistan’s repeated closure of access routes for Afghanistan, a land-locked nation struggling with severe economic hardships. Such actions, he said, violate WTO norms, the UN Charter, and established principles of international law.
Reaffirming New Delhi’s long-standing position, he said India “strongly supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Afghanistan.”
Rising Tensions Between Pakistan and Taliban Forces
The sharp exchange at the UNSC comes against the backdrop of renewed tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Recent clashes broke out despite a ceasefire announced less than two months ago, with both Islamabad and the Taliban accusing each other of violating the fragile truce.
India–Afghanistan Relations: Diplomatic Reset
India withdrew its diplomatic personnel from Kabul in August 2021 after the Taliban seized power. A limited technical team was deployed in June 2022 as part of a phased re-engagement strategy.
In October 2025, Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited New Delhi—the first high-level Taliban visit since 2021. During the talks, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed the upgrading of India’s mission in Kabul to full embassy status and reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to resuming development projects in Afghanistan.
