India has reportedly invited key regional stake holders, including Russia, China and Pakistan, to a meeting it plans to host in a bid to “address humanitarian crisis and discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan.”
The meeting of national security advisers of the countries could be held on November 10 or 11, reported Indian media.
This will be the first-of-its-kind dialogue to be hosted by India.
It is learnt that that invite has also been extended to Pakistan’s NSA Moeed Yusuf, although there is no official confirmation on the conference and invitation yet.
However, it is learnt that preparations are underway.
India has been planning to hold a conference on Afghanistan earlier but the move was first derailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later due to the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban in August 2021.
MOSCOW FORMAT: India will participate in the Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan on October 20, Ministry of External Affairs was reported as saying.
Ministry’s spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that India’s policy towards Afghanistan is guided by its friendship with the Afghan people.
Earlier this month, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla had said that India is willing to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and that it has engaged with the representatives of Taliban in Doha.
“We are willing to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and we have been a constructive partner in the development of the country, before the Taliban took over, investing over $3 billion,” the foreign secretary had said.
