Indian Aid to Afghanistan [UPSC Notes]

India has decided to send 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan via the Chabahar Port in Iran instead of the Pakistan route. The announcement was made during the first meeting of the India-Central Asia joint working group on Afghanistan held in New Delhi. The wheat will be supplied in partnership with the UN World Food Programme. India’s humanitarian food assistance comes at a crucial time for Afghanistan.

Know more about this development and its significance for the IAS exam.

Significance of Sending Wheat to Afghanistan 

• The wheat aid to Afghanistan is aimed at addressing the current humanitarian situation in the country, which is facing food shortages and economic turmoil.
• By sending the wheat aid through the Chabahar port in Iran, India is bypassing Pakistan, which had previously agreed to allow Indian wheat shipments to Afghanistan but later cancelled them due to floods and the expiry of the agreed-upon timeframe.
• The decision to use the Chabahar port also signals India’s commitment to developing the strategic port, which provides a direct sea-land access route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
• India has invested heavily in the development of the Chabahar port as part of its efforts to counter China’s growing influence in the region, particularly through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• The Chabahar port is also seen as a key component of India’s connectivity plans with Afghanistan and Central Asia, including the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Ashgabat Agreement.
• The above step is also in sync with India’s commitment to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the ‘neighbourhood first’ policy and will help in building soft power.

Afghanistan and Food Scarcity:

• After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the country was struck by a dire economic crisis that was further intensified by droughts, floods, and earthquakes.
• Since August 2022, Afghanistan has unfortunately been ranked at the top of the list of countries with inadequate food consumption and has continued to maintain that position.
• Starvation in figures:
  • As of August 2022, 9 in 10 Afghan families cannot afford sufficient food (the highest in the world), with 6 million at risk of famine. 2/3 of the population needs humanitarian aid, with malnutrition at its highest level ever.
  • Half of all provinces have high malnutrition rates in children under 5, affecting 4 million kids and mothers.
• Food supply to each family:
  • Includes 50 kg of wheat flour, 4.55 litres of vegetable oil, 6.25 kg of pulses, and 500 grams of salt distributed several times a month.
  • In addition, specialized food and supplements are provided to families with children aged between six to 59 months, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to avoid malnutrition.

India’s Aid to Afghanistan

• For families facing distress, the food aid sent by India and other countries has provided much-needed succour.
• Since February 2022, India has delivered 40,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan.
• India has entered into an MoU with the WFP to provide 10,000 tonnes of wheat as humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which is facing a food crisis.
• The Food Corporation of India is facilitating the supply, which is being transported from India’s integrated check post at Attari to Jalalabad in Afghanistan.

Other relief measures by India in Afghanistan:

• India-based NGOs provide training and support to empower women to become self-sufficient.
• Other than the dispatch of 40,000 MTs of wheat, India has also sent 50 tons of medicine, 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine, winter clothing, and 28 tons of disaster relief to assist.

India’s recent humanitarian food assistance:

• India has provided humanitarian food assistance to countries in need, often channelling aid through WFP.
  • In 2020: India extended 270 million tons of food assistance to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Eritrea to help its allies cope with natural disasters and the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • 2021: India transported 500 tons of food aid to Mozambique.
  • 2022: India provided 85,000 tons of wheat to Yemen via the Black Sea Grain Initiative. 

About Chabahar Port

• The Chabahar Port is a seaport located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman.
• It is a strategic port for India, as it provides a key gateway to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia.
• India has invested in the development of the Chabahar Port, with the aim of using it as a hub for trade and commerce with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
• India has been using the Chabahar Port to send shipments of wheat to Afghanistan.
• The port is also important for Iran, as it provides an alternate trade route to bypass Pakistan and access markets in India and beyond.
• The Chabahar Port is part of a larger transportation corridor project known as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which aims to connect India to Russia via Iran and Central Asia.
• The development of the Chabahar Port has faced some setbacks due to U.S. sanctions on Iran, but India has continued to support the project.

Read more about the Chabahar Port.

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