New Delhi: In its first official response after the fall of the Ashraf Ghani government, India said on Monday that it is monitoring the situation in Afghanistan at high levels but the process of evacuating its nationals from there has been paused as operations of commercial flights from Kabul airport have been suspended.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in a statement, also talked about India’s willingness to accommodate Afghan nationals, who have been on good terms with India.
A day after the Taliban took over Kabul and Ghani exited the country, plunging the country in turmoil, thousands thronged the airport seeking flights out of the country. The situation became so chaotic that Kabul airport suspended all commercial operations.
The MEA spokesperson said: “Commercial operations from Kabul airport have been suspended today. This has forced a pause in our repatriation efforts. We are awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the process.”
“The security situation in Kabul has deteriorated significantly in the last few days. It is changing rapidly even as we speak,” the spokesman said, referring to the fast-paced developments of Sunday that saw Kabul fall without a fight.
Bagchi said the situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover “is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels”. The Government of India “will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan,” he said.
Last week, India had to close its consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif after the Taliban encircled the city. Indian diplomatic staff and other Indians there were flown back to India on a special flight. India had shut its Kandahar consulate last month in the face of the advancing Taliban.
Bagchi said the Government is closely monitoring all developments in Afghanistan. “We have been issuing periodic advisories for the safety and security of Indian nationals in that country, including calling for their immediate return to India,” he said.
The statement said that the Indian embassy in Afghanistan had circulated emergency contact numbers and had also been extending assistance to community members. “We are aware that there are still some Indian nationals in Afghanistan who wish to return and we are in touch with them,” it added.
The statement also said that India is in constant touch with the representatives of Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities. “We will facilitate repatriation to India of those who wish to leave Afghanistan,” the spokesman said.
“There are also a number of Afghans who have been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational and people to people endeavours. We will stand by them,” the statement said.
Last Thursday, India appealed to its nationals in Afghanistan to leave the war-wracked country and the Indian Embassy in Kabul issued a fresh advisory, its fourth, urging Indian nationals there to leave by available commercial flights.
India has 1,500 nationals in Afghanistan, including Government of India officials, the MEA has stated in reply to a Parliament question earlier.
India has been involved in reconstruction and developmental efforts in Afghanistan, and has provided development assistance of over $ 3 billion to Afghanistan. As part of this over 500 infrastructure and development projects have been undertaken since 2001. Many of the completed projects have been handed over to the Afghanistan government, the MEA said in reply to a parliament question. (UNI)
