New Delhi: In what can be seen as a major development in India-Afghan ties, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla along with Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay and World Food Program Country Director Bishaw Parajuli flagged off the first convoy of 50 trucks carrying 2500 MT of wheat assistance from India to the war-torn country of Afghanistan via Pakistan, the external affairs ministry said on Tuesday.
In response to appeals made by the United Nations for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, the Government of India decided to gift 50,000 MT of wheat to the people of Afghanistan. The supply will be affected by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and transported from ICP Attari (India) to Jalalabad (Afghanistan) by Afghan transporters.
Taking to Twitter, Afghan ambassador to India, Farid Mamundzay said, "More than four & half months of wait, the first convoy of 50 trucks will start the delivery of 50,000 metric tons of wheat from Indis to Afghanistan today. I thank the Indian government for the generosity displayed at a time when more than 20million Afghans are facing a crisis or the worse".
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Earlier today, Mamundzay hailed Amritsar for being a beautiful city with rich history & proud culture and said it is the shortest land route to Afghanistan. "It has historically proven to be the game-changer not only for “aid but for trade” in this region. For over 2,500 years, the famous Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) linked the Indian Subcontinent with Central Asia via Kabul while passing through Amritsar", he added.
The ambassador emphasized that free trade without barriers is the only way forward for lasting peace and economic prosperity. The shipment is part of the commitment made by the Government of India to supply 50,000 MT of wheat for the people of Afghanistan. The wheat assistance will be delivered in multiple consignments and will be handed over to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Jalalabad, Afghanistan
Notably, in this regard, the Government of India signed an agreement with the WFP for the distribution of 50,000 MT of wheat within Afghanistan. India remains committed to its special relationship with the people of Afghanistan. In this endeavour, India has already supplied 500,000 doses of COVAXIN, 13 tons of essential lifesaving medicines, and 500 units of winter clothing. These consignments were handed over to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul.
