India supplies next batch of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan

New Delhi: India, on Saturday, January 1, 2022, supplied the second batch of 'humanitarian assistance' consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul, an MEA statement said. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses will be supplied in the coming weeks.

The Government of India has committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life-saving drugs. Earlier last month (Dec 2021), India delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through World Health Organization (WHO). 

"In the coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with the UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation," the statement said.

Last month, MEA informed that a special flight from Kabul to New Delhi, chartered by the Government of India, arrived at the IGI airport in New Delhi on December 10. 

"The flight brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans, including members of the Afghan minority community. The minority community, Sikh members, carried with them 2 Swaroops of Guru Granth Sahib and some ancient Hindu manuscripts," an MEA release has said.

Under "Operation Devi Shakti", 669 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan. This comprises 448 Indians and 206 Afghans, including members of the Afghan Hindu/Sikh minority community. The Ministry also said that 565 people, including 438 Indians, were evacuated from Afghanistan earlier in August 2021.