India’s humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has finally reached that country. A shipment of 2,500 tonnes of wheat sent in trucks via Pakistan reached Jalalabad last weekend and has been handed over to the World Food Programme to be distributed among the Afghan people. It has taken a long time for the food aid to reach the Afghan people. In the wake of the humanitarian crisis that has been unfolding in Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in August last year, India pledged to send 50,000 tonnes of wheat to the Afghan people. To this end, it sent a proposal to Pakistan on October 7, seeking overland access for trucks ferrying the wheat from India to Afghanistan. Pakistan, which for decades has refused to allow Indian goods to transit through it enroute to Afghanistan, was in a spot. On the one hand, it remains wary of Indian influence growing in Afghanistan and the likely positive impact the humanitarian aid would have on Afghan perceptions of India. On the other, to not allow Indian wheat to reach the Afghan people would have shown Pakistan in a poor light. It took Islamabad almost seven weeks to decide to allow Indian wheat to transit through Pakistan. For almost three months thereafter, Pakistan raised one objection after another. It refused to allow Indian trucks to enter Pakistan. India overcame this hurdle by agreeing to Afghan trucks ferrying the wheat from the Wagah border. The shipment was finally flagged off last week. Pakistan reportedly stripped the trucks of banners announcing India’s aid.
The first of several consignments of wheat has reached Afghanistan. This is an important milestone in India’s outreach to the Afghan people. India’s persistence in the effort to support them has been successful. But the possibility of Pakistan raising new objections to derail further consignments being sent cannot be ruled out.
Delhi has done well to decide on sending humanitarian aid to Afghanistan while still not recognising the Taliban regime. At a time when Afghanistan is engulfed by a “tsunami of hunger” India has done the right thing. This could also prove to be a smart diplomatic move. India’s real strength in Afghanistan has always been its soft power. Humanitarian aid will strengthen it. In addition, India must resume scholarships for Afghan students and be generous with granting visas to Afghan nationals. A recent UNDP report has said that 97% of Afghanistan’s population is at risk of slipping below the poverty line this year. India has experience with running poverty alleviation projects abroad. It should consider reviving such efforts in Afghanistan.