00:00Pakistan, in its statement earlier today, questioned the intent of UNAMA and the veracity of UNSG's report.
00:05We would like to stress that support for multilateralism and the United Nations is not an a la carte menu.
00:13Madam President, I congratulate Colombia for assuming the presidency of the Council, and thank you for giving me the floor.
00:20I thank Ms. Georgia Gagnon, Head of Mission and Deputy SRSG Political of UNAMA, for briefing this meeting.
00:26We also take note of Director Bosurnu from OCHA and Ms. Mehran for their briefings.
00:32India and Afghanistan are contiguous neighbors, and as civilizational states, our ties have spanned centuries.
00:39Our history of close cooperation continues to guide our modern-day relationship.
00:44The proud people of Afghanistan have endured a lot in this century,
00:48and the government of India will continue to stand in favor of peace and stability,
00:52so as to foster development and stability in this nation.
00:56Our participation in the Doha Working Group meetings and our strong bilateral development partnerships
01:02stand testimony to this promise.
01:04Madam President, India's capacity-building and humanitarian assistance initiatives for the Afghan people
01:10can be seen in all 34 provinces and in more than 500 development partnership projects.
01:16We are focusing on health care, public infrastructure, and capacity-building.
01:22We are intensifying our cooperation with human agencies, as well as others such as Afghanistan Red Cross Society,
01:29in priority areas of the Afghan people.
01:32The visits to India of Afghan ministers last year have ensured necessary planning and coordination,
01:39so that our support reaches the intended beneficiaries.
01:41Generations of Afghans, having suffered years of active hostility,
01:46are now suffering neglect of the international community.
01:50In April 2026, India delivered three tons of specialized flood relief supplies
01:55to support communities affected by recent floods.
01:59The consignment included kitchen sets, dignity and hygiene kits,
02:04plastic sheets, topol and sleeping bags, and more.
02:06In its commitment to strengthen Afghanistan's child immunization program,
02:11India has recently delivered 33 tons of BCG and tetanus and diphtheria vaccines
02:16and related dry materials to Kabul.
02:19It gives us great satisfaction to report that now Afghan children suffering from acute congenital heart diseases
02:25are being treated in India.
02:27Establishment of maternity clinics in rural areas in Paktika, Khosth and Paktia,
02:32Upgradation of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health
02:35and construction of oncology and trauma centers in Kabul
02:39also underlines our commitment to Afghan women and children.
02:43We thank our partner agencies, including UNICEF and Afghan Red Cross Society in this regard.
02:50Setting up of an oncology center, a trauma center,
02:53and the soon-to-begin installation of advanced medical devices across hospitals,
02:57and construction of a 30-bed hospital in Kabul and a thalassemia center in Herat
03:02will provide much-needed health care support.
03:06Since August 2021, my country has supplied more than 50,000 tons of wheat,
03:12420 tons of medicines and vaccines, including anti-cancer medicines,
03:16and medicines for vector diseases, as well as 40,000 liters of pesticides.
03:22The two earthquakes that have ravaged Afghanistan last year call for more support.
03:27India was among the first to provide humanitarian assistance
03:30to the tune of 60 tons of food, 42 tons of earthquake relief materials,
03:36and 73 tons of essential medicines.
03:39In partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime,
03:42we have provided 68 tons of medical supplies
03:45and 34 tons of social support items for rehabilitation of drug addicts.
03:51In the field of education,
03:53our scholarship and fellowship schemes for Afghan students are always in demand.
03:57Since 2023, about 3,000 students have availed themselves of these opportunities,
04:02including 1,000 Afghan women.
04:05Another 1,000 scholarships will also be offered very soon
04:08to pursue degree courses and master's courses.
04:12India continues to provide financial and logistical support
04:16to Afghan self-help groups led by women.
04:20Madam President,
04:21The display of skill and professionalism by Afghan cricketers
04:25during the recently concluded Indian Premier League
04:28brought immense joy to all of Afghanistan and to the cricketing world.
04:32India is pleased to convey that it is hosting the Afghanistan cricket team
04:36for a bilateral series.
04:37We hope that this will bring further happiness, encouragement,
04:41and a sense of celebration to the people of Afghanistan.
04:44Sports have a rare power to lift a nation's spirit,
04:47to provide shared moments of pride, hope, and joy.
04:52We definitely believe that our Afghan brothers and sisters deserve this.
04:56India is also the top destination of Afghan exports.
05:00As per the World Bank,
05:0143% of Afghanistan's exports are destined for India.
05:04By offering tariff-free access for Afghan goods to Indian markets,
05:09we have operationalized a dedicated air freight corridor
05:12between India and Afghanistan.
05:14We are also supporting Afghan traders
05:16by issuing hundreds of gratis long-term business visas
05:19who are suffering under unprecedented trade and transit terrorism
05:23inflicted upon them by Pakistan's denial of passage for trade.
05:27The cynical closure of access for this landlocked country
05:30is in total violation of UN declarations on landlocked developing countries
05:34and a clear weaponization of their trade and transit vulnerabilities.
05:39This blatant Pakistani violation of WTO norms
05:42and of the UN Charter and international law
05:44should be condemned by the global community.
05:47Madam President,
05:48The Secretary General's report had noted
05:51the dire humanitarian concerns
05:53and the rising implications for Afghanistan
05:55due to unprecedented scale
05:57and pace of forced and involuntary returns
06:00under adverse circumstances.
06:02This needs the world's attention
06:04and necessitates more efforts
06:06towards addressing food security,
06:08health care,
06:09water security,
06:10and other shelter challenges.
06:13The returnees need to be provided housing,
06:15basic services, and livelihoods.
06:17The Afghan economy is suffering
06:19from the additional burden of returnees.
06:21To this end,
06:22my country is working with UN agencies
06:24and of the Afghan authorities
06:26to make provisions for housing,
06:29food,
06:29and other essential items
06:30to ease the immense pain
06:32that has been inflicted on the Afghan people
06:34and support their reintegration.
06:36We also reiterate
06:37the Secretary General's call on member states
06:40to uphold their international obligations
06:42in relation to protection
06:43and ensure that returns are voluntary,
06:45safe,
06:47dignified,
06:48and accompanied by sustained support
06:50for reintegration of returnees
06:51into communities.
06:53India would like to emphasize
06:54the importance of UNAMA and its mandate
06:56and underline our full support
06:58to UNAMA in these challenging times
07:00as it endeavors to promote peace
07:02and stability in Afghanistan.
07:05Pakistan, in its statement earlier today,
07:07questioned the intent of UNAMA
07:08and the veracity of UNSG's report.
07:10We would like to stress
07:12that support for multilateralism
07:13and the United Nations
07:15is not an a la carte menu.
07:19Pakistan's campaign of military airstrikes
07:21against Afghanistan
07:22is causing huge civilian casualties
07:24and sufferings to the Afghan people.
07:26We reiterate Secretary General's
07:28deep concern at civilian casualties
07:30caused by airstrikes,
07:32cross-border firing,
07:33and targeted killings
07:34as detailed in UNAMA reports.
07:36We support the Secretary General's call
07:38urging compliance with obligations
07:40under international law,
07:41including international humanitarian law,
07:44and ensuring protection of civilians.
07:46We also support UNAMA's earlier calls
07:48for investigation
07:49to ensure accountability,
07:51prevent recurrence,
07:52and uphold victims' rights.
07:54Such unconscionable acts of violence
07:56are a blatant assault
07:57on Afghanistan's sovereignty
07:59and a threat to the region's
08:00peace and stability.
08:02India strongly condemns
08:03the airstrikes on Afghan territory,
08:04which are flagrant violations
08:06of international law
08:07and the UN Charter
08:08and the principle of state sovereignty.
08:10According to UNAMA,
08:12372 civilians have been killed
08:14and 397 injured
08:15just in the first three months
08:18of this year.
08:19A large majority of them
08:21during the holy month of Ramadan,
08:23a time of peace, mercy, and reflection,
08:26which makes the act
08:27all the more reprehensible.
08:29We reiterate UNAMA's call
08:30for compliance with obligations
08:32under international humanitarian law,
08:34including the principles
08:36of precaution,
08:37distinction,
08:38and proportionality
08:39to protect civilians from harm.
08:42No faith, no law,
08:43and no morality
08:44can justify these actions.
08:46Let me reiterate.
08:47Dressing up a massacre
08:49as a military operation
08:50does not absolve the perpetrator.
08:52Killing, maiming,
08:53and orphaning civilians
08:54is not counterterrorism.
08:56Espousing high principles
08:57of international law
08:58and Islamic solidarity
08:59while mercilessly carrying out
09:01airstrikes during the holy month
09:03of Ramadan
09:03is a perfect example
09:05of hypocrisy.
09:07Blaming neighbors
09:08for its own failures
09:09is an old Pakistani habit.
09:10This attempt to hoodwink
09:12the world will fail.
09:14Coming up with official notifications
09:16directing Pakistan's government agencies
09:18to start referring to groups
09:20inside its own borders
09:21as Fitna al-Hindustan
09:23is nothing but
09:25officially sponsored
09:26misinformation
09:26and disinformation
09:27dressed in religious terminology.
09:30This is an outcome
09:32of an organized factory
09:33of hate
09:34coming from the deep state
09:35of Pakistan
09:36which aims to keep
09:37their citizens
09:37in a state of permanent
09:39hostility with India
09:40in order to perpetuate
09:42their stay in power
09:42and control
09:43of national resources
09:44and detract them
09:45from core political
09:46and economic problems.
09:48The de facto coup
09:49by the military
09:50through the 27th
09:51constitutional amendment
09:52is only its most recent
09:53manifestation.
09:55India stands steadfast
09:56in rejecting terrorism
09:57in all its forms
09:58and manifestations.
10:00Only coordinated efforts
10:01of the international community
10:02can ensure that ISIL
10:04and Al-Qaeda
10:05and their affiliates
10:06including the Lashkar-e-Taiba
10:08and the Jaish-e-Mohammed
10:09and proxies of the LET
10:11such as the Resistant Front
10:12along with those
10:14who facilitate
10:14their operations
10:15no longer indulge
10:17in cross-border terrorism.
10:19We call on
10:19the international community
10:20to work together
10:21towards its noble goal.
10:23Madam President,
10:25we lend our voice again
10:26in re-emphasizing
10:27the importance
10:27of incentivizing
10:28positive actions.
10:29The political reality
10:31of Afghanistan
10:32has changed
10:32in the last five years
10:33and the current
10:34UN sanctions regime
10:35must take that into account.
10:37The UN
10:38and the international community
10:39need policy instruments
10:41that aim to benefit
10:42the people of Afghanistan
10:43and nudge
10:44policy in the right direction
10:46rather than only
10:47wielding tools of punishment
10:48that are yielding
10:49diminishing returns.
10:51The international community
10:52must engage
10:53with all stakeholders
10:54across all formats.
10:55I thank you,
10:56Madam President.
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