India’s engagement with Afghanistan is people-centric: FM Jaishankar

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Friday that India’s relationship with Afghanistan is deeply rooted in society and people, stressing that New Delhi’s engagement goes beyond governments or regimes.

Speaking about India’s approach toward Afghanistan at a university in Chennai state, Jaishankar noted that the two countries share centuries-old ties that are fundamentally societal in nature. “There may be governments and regimes which have gone up and down, but at the end of the day, our relationship with Afghanistan is very societal,” he said.

The Indian foreign minister acknowledged that Afghanistan is currently facing severe challenges and underlined the need to address them from a people-centric perspective. He said India’s engagement is guided by the needs of ordinary Afghans, especially at a time when the country is going through a difficult phase.

Jaishankar highlighted India’s ongoing cooperation with Afghanistan in key humanitarian and development sectors, including health, food security, vaccines, and agricultural support such as pesticides. He said these efforts are driven by India’s commitment to supporting the Afghan people rather than political considerations.

He also confirmed that he recently held what he described as a “very good discussion” with his Afghan counterpart, expressing optimism about continued engagement on issues of mutual concern.