'True first responder': India sends technical team to Afghanistan along with 27 tons of earthquake relief assistance

New Delhi, June 24: An earthquake struck Afghanistan killing over 1,000 people and leaving 1,500 injured. This came as an earthquake of 6.1 magnitudes struck Afghanistan on Wednesday. The quake hit about 44km from the city of Khost on Wednesday.

 

 

In order to help the neighboring country, India has sent a "technical team" consisting of diplomats and others to the Afghan capital. They are deployed to "closely monitor and coordinate" the delivery of humanitarian assistance there, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement Thursday. After Taliban Islamists seized power in Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, India had subsequently shut its mission down.

 

 

"India has a historical and civilizational relationship with the Afghan people. In order to closely monitor and coordinate the efforts of various stakeholders for the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and in continuation of our engagement with the Afghan people, an Indian technical team has reached Kabul today and has been deployed in our Embassy there," the MEA said.

 

The MEA also informed that recently "another Indian team had visited Kabul to oversee the delivery operations of our humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and met with senior members of the Taliban. During the visit, an assessment of the security situation was also carried out." It was referring to the 2 June visit to Kabul by an official delegation led by J.P. Singh, joint secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran Division), MEA.

 

The MEA also said, "Our longstanding links with Afghan society and our development partnership including humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan, will continue to guide our approach going forward."

 

In a separate press statement, the MEA said, "the Government of India, as a true first responder, has dispatched 27 tons of emergency relief assistance in two flights for the people of Afghanistan. The relief assistance consists of essential items including family ridge tents, sleeping bags, blankets, sleeping mats, etc.The relief consignment will be handed over to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in Kabul."

 

It further, added, "As always, India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, with whom we share centuries old ties, and remains firmly committed to provide immediate relief assistance for the Afghan people."

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that he was deeply saddened at the news of the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan. "My deepest condolences on the loss of precious lives. India stands by the people of Afghanistan in their difficult times and is ready to provide all possible disaster relief material at the earliest," he said.