India-Central Asia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Afghanistan | 09 Mar 2023

Why in News?

India will send its next consignment of wheat as aid to Afghanistan under the Taliban regime via Chabahar port. The decision, that was announced at the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Afghanistan in Delhi.

• This comes after the agreement with Pakistan to extend for sending the wheat over the land route expired and talks on extension have failed.

What are the Key Points about the JWG?

• The JWG meeting comes a year after the India-Central Asia summit in January 2022, where the decision to hold a special contact group on Afghanistan was announced.
• The issues of drugs, the export of terrorism and radicalism, and refugees has been at the top of concerns for neighbouring countries in Central Asia.
  • According to UNODC reports, opium production is up by nearly a third in the past year, after the Taliban took control of Kabul.
    • More than 80% of the world’s opium and heroin is smuggled out of Afghanistan, which is a part of Golden crescent.
    • An estimated 3 million people, or nearly one tenth of the population of Afghanistan is addicted to opium.
• The JWG also emphasised the “importance of formation of a truly inclusive and representative political structure that extends the equal rights for all Afghans including minorities, women, girls.

What are the Key Outcomes of JWG Meeting?

• The joint statement said that no terror organizations including UN designated terrorists should be provided sanctuary or allowed to use the territory of Afghanistan.
• India also agreed to offer:
  • Customised capacity building courses for UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) Officials and stakeholders; and
  • Cooperation on initiatives to counter drug trafficking and rehabilitation efforts for Afghan drug users, especially women.

What is India’s Previous Assistance Measures to Afghanistan?

• Food Grains:
  • In 2022, India signed an agreement with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for the distribution of 50,000 MT of wheat that it has committed to sending to Afghanistan as part of a humanitarian assistance.
  • India committed to delivering 75,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan in 2020 to combat the global pandemic of COVID-19 and related issues of food security.
  • India distributed 2000 tonnes of pulses to Afghanistan in 2018 to promote food security, particularly for children during times of drought.
• Medical Supplies:
  • India supplied 5 lakh tablets of Hydroxy-chloroquinine, 1 Lakh tablets of Paracetamol, and 50,000 pairs of surgical gloves to the Government of Afghanistan in 2020.
  • India established a Medical Diagnostic Centre in Kabul in 2015, providing the latest diagnostic facilities to Afghan children and generating goodwill for India.
• Infrastructure:
  • Since 2001, India has committed USD 3 billion towards rebuilding and reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Source:TH