Although the allocation is significantly less than the $47 million India gave to the now-ousted Ashraf Ghani government in 2021, it clearly marked India’s fast-shifting stance on the Taliban’s takeover of the war-torn country, reports Asian Lite News
In a surprise shift with major regional implications, India is reaching out to the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan in a symbolic offer of aid in an hour of humanitarian need, Asia Times reported.
On February 1, New Delhi quietly allocated Indian rupee equivalent to about $27 million for assistance to Afghanistan in its 2022-23 fiscal Budget. According to the budgetary line item, the amount will be disbursed to pay for existing Indian projects in the country, scholarships for Afghan students and aid for the Afghan people, the report said.
Although the allocation is significantly less than the $47 million India gave to the now-ousted Ashraf Ghani government in 2021, it clearly marked India’s fast-shifting stance on the Taliban’s takeover of the war-torn country.
IOM raises alarm over millions of displaced Afghans
That shift is no doubt being informed by the Taliban government’s rocky relations with neighboring Pakistan, India’s traditional and chief adversary, the report said. It is widely believed, including among US lawmakers, that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency aided and abetted the Taliban’s lightning seizure of power last August.
True or false, the Taliban’s new Islamic Emirate government is keen not to appear beholden and obliged to Islamabad for its battlefield victory, it added.
On the contrary, the neighbours are increasingly in conflict over a border fence Pakistan is building that has resurrected long-time territorial disputes and a surge in cross-border militant attacks that Islamabad wants Kabul to do more to stop.
India’s role in Afghanistan has been dictated by the volatile conditions in that country for the last five decades and by the obstacles from Pakistan that lie between the two, reports Asian Lite News
India would like to have long-lasting cooperation with Afghanistan by increasing its aid.
India has earmarked USD 26.7 million to Afghanistan, keeping a continuing focus on its people, without recognizing, like the rest of the world community, the Taliban regime, as noted by Khaama Press Agency. The sum allocated in India’s Annual Budget for the year April 2022-March 2023 is less compared to $47.6 million of 2021-22, which can be easily explained by the lack of formal ties, especially the economic relations since the Taliban took control last August.
Like the world community, India seeks an inclusive government in Afghanistan that allows a role for women and for the ethnic minorities, besides freedom for girls to study and women to work. Taliban have so far not heeded to the global appeal.
India responded to a global appeal for medicine last December and flew two tons of aid, a gesture that was appreciated by the Taliban with the hope for continued medical supplies.
However, India and Afghanistan have not been that lucky on economic aid. After protracted modalities worked out with Pakistan, India this month is expected to send the much-awaited aid of wheat. However, delays have been caused by Pakistan’s refusal to allow the use of its territory for India to reach a landlocked Afghanistan, as analyzed by Khaama Press Agency.
Pakistan blocks India’s access on the ground that it would amount to allowing India to reap economic benefits from Afghanistan, even as the latter vigorously campaigns for humanitarian aid reaching Afghanistan. The impasse was broken when Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited Islamabad and personally appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
To get around this obstacle, Iran has offered to facilitate the movement of Indian aid via Chabahar port. The jointly developed port also receives fund allocation in the Annual Budget.
Some years back, Pakistan had blocked Indian-supplied biscuits to the malnourished Afghan children readied in response to a United Nations appeal. The consignment rotted on the India-Pakistan border and had to be destroyed.
India’s role in Afghanistan has been dictated by the volatile conditions in that country for the last five decades and by the obstacles from Pakistan that lie between the two. It had burgeoning ties during the monarchy and even through the 1980s when the country was ruled by Soviet-backed regimes, as noted Khaama Press Agency.
Since 2001 after the US invasion, India had emerged as Afghanistan’s biggest aid supporter in the region investing USD three billion in numerous mega infrastructure projects.
Afghanistan has been a steady recipient of India’s grants over the last two decades and the Government of President Ashraf Ghani last year received around Rs348 crores (USD 46 million). India has showcased its assistance to Afghanistan as aid-oriented, which is focused on development projects on the ground.
Haida Mohammad Abdali, Afghanistan’s ambassador to India, in April 2017 pointed out that India “is the biggest regional donor to Afghanistan and fifth-largest donor globally with over USD 3 billion in assistance. India has built over 200 public and private schools, sponsors over 1,000 scholarships, hosts over 16,000 Afghan students.”
Relations between Afghanistan and India received a major boost in 2011 with the signing of a strategic partnership agreement. It was Afghanistan’s first since the Soviet invasion of 1979 and was before one was signed with the United States.
India sought to expand its economic presence in Afghanistan through 2002- 2021 and thus, earned considerable goodwill among the Afghan people. A number of farm production and irrigation schemes, help to medium and small industries, and IT centers across the country came upon the ground, as noted by Khaama Press Agency.
The increasing magnitude of severity and the levels of deprivation faced by vulnerable people requires urgent early and flexible humanitarian funding, it added…reports Asian Lite News
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday released a $1.9 billion Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2022.
More than $800 million will go to life-saving activities for some of the 10.9 million vulnerable people targeted out of the 14.3 million people across Sudan in need of humanitarian assistance, it said. It is estimated that half of the highly vulnerable are in the western Darfur, with others in need living in the capital of Khartoum and South Kordofan, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Sudan is experiencing increasing humanitarian needs largely driven by the economic recession that started in 2018, acute food insecurity, conflict, large-scale displacement, natural hazards, such as floods, as well as reduced social service delivery and capacity to respond to disease outbreaks, including Covid-19,” OCHA said.
The plan covering many relief sectors includes essential health services, prevention and treatment of water-borne and vector-borne diseases and access to education, livelihoods, and water and sanitation.
The increasing magnitude of severity and the levels of deprivation faced by vulnerable people requires urgent early and flexible humanitarian funding, it added.
Last year, aid workers said they reached over 8.1 million people with assistance in Sudan.
According to the statement, 500 tons of food aid has been shipped by INS Kesari to support the efforts of Government of Mozambique to cope with ongoing drought and concurrent challenges of pandemic…reports Asian Lite News.
In consonance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), INS Kesari entered Port of Maputo, Mozambique on Saturday carrying two fast interceptor craft and self-defence equipment to be handed over to the Armed Forces of East African nation which has a long Indian Ocean coastline.
These deployments were conducted in solidarity with India’s extended maritime neighbourhood and highlight the importance accorded by India to these special relationships, said a statement by the Ministry of Defence.
This is the eighth such deployment in consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR and is being conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, and other agencies of the Go, it stated.
According to the statement, 500 tons of food aid has been shipped by INS Kesari to support the efforts of Government of Mozambique to cope with the ongoing drought and concurrent challenges of pandemic.
India also remains committed to supporting the capacity building efforts of the Armed Forces of Mozambique, it said.
INS Kesari, a Landing Ship Tank (Large) had undertaken similar mission in May – June 2020 to provide humanitarian and medical assistance to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, including deployment of Medical Assistance Teams of the Indian Navy in multiple locations, it said.
Since May 2020, the Indian Navy has deployed ships to 15 Friendly Foreign Countries under SAGAR missions, the statement mentioned.
These deployments spanned over 215 days at sea have delivered cumulative assistance of more than 3,000 MT of food aid, over 300 MT LMO, 900 Oxygen Concentrators and 20 ISO containers, it added.
INS Kesari docks at the Maputo Port with humanitarian assistance & fast speed interceptor boats for Mozambique to bolster maritime security. Another glorious day to demontrate India's commitment to the #SAGAR Doctrine (Security And Growth for All in the Region) pic.twitter.com/Le8tB0oFms
Whilst undertaking these missions Indian Naval Ships have traversed a cumulative distance of close to 40,000 nm which is nearly twice the circumference of the earth, the statement said.
With a steadfast intent of making such a high quantum of humanitarian assistance reach its destination in time, personnel from ships and shore organizations of the Indian Navy have invested close to a million man-hours to deliver succour to our friends overseas, it added.
Describing the summer’s events in Afghanistan as “a tragedy,” the EU foreign policy chief insisted that engagement is a priority for the EU to continue protecting as many people as possible…reports Asian Lite News.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said the bloc will increase its humanitarian aid for Afghanistan by extra 100 million euros to avert the humanitarian disaster in the country.
“We stand by the Afghan people. We must do everything to avert the real risk of a major famine and humanitarian disaster. This is why we will increase again humanitarian aid for Afghanistan by 100 million euros (USD 118 million) – part of a new, wider Afghan Support Package,” von der Leyen tweeted.
This comes as EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday said that the European Union has no other option but to engage with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan if it wants to influence events in the country.
However, Borrell underlined at a European Parliament plenary session debate in the French city of Strasbourg that engagement does not mean recognition, Xinhua news agency reported.
Describing the summer’s events in Afghanistan as “a tragedy,” the EU foreign policy chief insisted that engagement is a priority for the EU to continue protecting as many people as possible.
Earlier, United Nations appealed to countries that pledged USD 1.2 billion in relief for Afghanistan to quickly release the funds to turn money into food, health care and protection for victims.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, said the pledges in humanitarian aid announced at a high-level conference in Geneva on Monday, include funding for the flash appeal for Afghanistan and regional response.
“We stressed that pledges now need to be disbursed quickly so that the UN and humanitarian partners, including national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), can move quickly to turn funds into food, health care and protection for Afghan children, women and men in need,” Dujarric said. (ANI)
Oxygen cylinders are stored at Kolkata Medical College Hospital during the increasing numbers of COVID 19 patients in Kolkata on April 23, 2021.(Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)
“Donations were cleared through the Inter-Ministerial Committee that includes representatives of Ministry of Health, MEA, Niti Aayog, DPIIT, MHA, MoHFW, etc,” the Minister said…reports Asian Lite News.
A total of 52 countries came forward to help India when the nation was hit by the second wave of Covid-19, the government said on Thursday.
In a written reply to parliamentarian Binoy Viswam in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (External Affairs) V.A. Muraleedharan said during the unprecedented crisis, the international community came forward with offers of solidarity and assistance for specific medicines and equipment that were not immediately available in the country.
He said that foreign materials from 52 countries have been received till date including from government to government, private to government, private to private, Indian community associations and companies.
“Donations were cleared through the Inter-Ministerial Committee that includes representatives of Ministry of Health, MEA, Niti Aayog, DPIIT, MHA, MoHFW, etc,” the Minister said.
Giving details of the assistance received, the minister said India received 27,116 oxygen cylinders, 29,327 oxygen concentrators, 48 Oxygen PSA plants and 19,375 ventilators from 52 foreign nations during the second Covid-19 wave.
The government also received 33,30,187 Favipiravir, 11,06,940 Remdesiver, 5,10,245 Tocilizumab from the foreign nations. A total of 19,88,985 rapid diagnostic kit was received during the Covid wave.
In February, when India had gotten Covid-19 under control from the peak of the first wave last year, a second wave of the virus hit the country with existing health infrastructure unable to cope up with the rise in cases.
On the ground, it was a heart-wrenching tragedy. Across the country, hospitals ran out of basic medical supplies and many patients died due to oxygen shortage. Family members were driving from clinic to clinic, frantically searching for ICU beds. Apart from that, people were looking for leads across the country for normal beds with oxygen facilities.
The government then sought help from the international community for oxygen supply. Indian Air Force transport planes were pressed into service, Indian Navy war ships were sent to friendly countries to get required medical needs of the time.
Eventually, the government started putting in all efforts to control the situation. And in June, the situation started improving with the number of cases coming down.
More than 1,700 academics, charities and business leaders have signed a letter warning that aid cuts have led to feeding centers, health clinics shutting down in impoverished countries, reports Asian Lite News
Some of the world’s most impoverished countries, including Yemen and Afghanistan, could face devastating food shortages along with the closure of health and education facilities as a result of planned UK cuts to foreign aid spending, charities have warned. Ahead of a potential vote in the House of Commons on Monday that will decide the fate of the aid changes, including a reduction in spending from 0.7 percent of national income to 0.5 percent, a coalition of high-profile charities such as Oxfam and ActionAid UK have warned in a letter that the cuts could have a “devastating” effect on Britain’s international credibility. Last year, the top five recipients of Britain’s foreign aid were Pakistan, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Yemen and Nigeria.
Save the Children, WWF UK and Cafod also signed the letter, which included more than 1,700 academics, charities and business leaders, warning that aid reductions already have led to feeding centers and health clinics shutting down in impoverished countries. Water sanitation and health training programs were also affected, charities said. “While other G7 countries have stepped up their aid budgets, the UK is the only one to have rowed back on its commitments,” the letter added, warning that the planned cuts amid the pandemic would represent a “double blow to the world’s poorest communities.”
A senior UN diplomat has also warned Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the proposal to slash overseas aid is “tarnishing faith in Britain’s trustworthiness at a crucial moment.” Mark Lowcock, a former permanent secretary at the Department for International Development, added that Johnson’s overseeing of the policy shift revealed “a failure of kindness and empathy.” He told The Observer newspaper: “At the moment, I’m particularly alarmed about a famine now affecting hundreds of thousands of people in Ethiopia, the biggest famine problem the world has seen for 10 years. Last year, the UK reported to the UN the provision of $108 million of humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia. This year, they have so far reported $6 million.” He added: “It is very corrosive of trust, confidence and your reputation, and your relationships with people who matter to your own interests and prosperity. Every other country faces the same economic problems. But no one else in the G7 is responding in this way.” Opposition groups and figures are demanding an immediate reversal to the planned cuts.
UNICEF
Some former senior Conservative ministers have also criticised the proposal. Former culture secretary Karen Bradley said: “The prime minister’s personal priority for aid is girls’ education. But girls’ education has been cut by 25 percent, while UNICEF, the UN children’s fund, has had a cut of 60 percent. It just doesn’t make sense. You only get one chance at childhood.” Caroline Nokes, former immigration minister, said: “The cuts to UK aid represent just 1 percent of what the chancellor is borrowing this year. But they mean funding for the UN’s reproductive health program has been cut by 85 percent. “The UN says this aid would have helped prevent around 250,000 maternal and child deaths. This is literally an issue of life and death,” she added.
The Church of England has also warned that the cuts could have immediate consequences for war-torn Yemen. Nick Baines, the bishop of Leeds, said: “Has anyone defended the cuts to Yemen? Arguing for girls’ education amounts to empty words when action denies honest intent. This is a shameful reneging on a promise, a denial of compassionate justice, and cries out for remedy.” The charity coalition said that there is “no justifiable economic need” for the cuts, which the government has said will save almost £4 billion ($5.66 billion) per year. However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, a proponent of the aid changes, said: “The decisions that the government has taken around this are entirely reasonable. We face a once-in-300-year economic interruption.”
In the morning, Delhi customs said in a statement that the medical aid onboard the aircraft was cleared within 25 minutes of its landing…reports Asian Lite News.
The world’s largest cargo plane, Antonov AN 124-100, has landed at the Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on Sunday morning, carrying three oxygen generators and 1,000 ventilators from the United Kingdom.
In the morning, Delhi customs said in a statement that the medical aid onboard the aircraft was cleared within 25 minutes of its landing.
Experts said the aircraft had flown into the country even in the past to deliver Delhi Metro wagons, specialist construction equipment and military cargo, the Hindustan Times reported.
The 24-wheeler Russian-made aircraft departed from Belfast airport late on Saturday night and landed at the Delhi airport at 8.30 am on Sunday, the report added.
“The UK sends life-saving support for India in the world’s largest cargo plane. Three oxygen generation units arrived in India today. Each capable of producing 500 litres of oxygen per minute. It will help save lives and support India’s healthcare system,” British high commission in New Delhi tweeted.
Each of the three oxygen generation units – the size of 40ft freight containers – produces 500 litres of oxygen per minute, enough for 50 people to use at a time, it said.
“Taking forward our comprehensive strategic partnership, consignment of 3 oxygen generators and 1,000 ventilators arrives from the UK… Deeply value the contribution from our close friend,” the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
🇮🇳🇬🇧 Taking forward our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Consignment of 3 O2 generators & 1,000 ventilators arrives from UK. Each generator has capacity to produce 500 litres of O2/min, enough to treat 50 people at a time. Deeply value the contribution from our close friend🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/FmOCJYUUKz
The Antonov AN 124-100 – the world’s largest air cargo carrier – is 70 metres long and nearly 75 meters wide. The plane, which weighs around 1.8 lakh kilograms, usually has six crew members and two loadmasters.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had said that “The UK is sending surplus oxygen generators from Northern Ireland to India. This life-saving equipment will support the country’s hospitals as they care for vulnerable Covid patients.”
India is currently dealing with a second COVID-19 wave that has swept through the nation, straining the country’s health infrastructure and overburdening frontline medical workers.
Around 15 countries are rushing critical emergency use equipment to enable India counter the Covid-19’s deadly second wave, reports Asian Lite News
Around 15 countries including the US, Russia, France, United Kingdom and the Commonwealth are rushing critical emergency use equipment to enable India counter the Covid-19’s deadly second wave. A compilation from the Ministry of External Affairs showed that countries are sending hundreds of oxygen concentrators, respirators and large quantities of liquid oxygen to help ease the difficult situation facing India.
Out of the promised international assistance, a bulk is expected from the United States following President Joe Biden’s telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 26. The US assistance is likely to include emergency medical care units, oxygen-related supplies, vaccine-related items and therapeutics. President Biden’s pledge of help was followed by Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin who stated that he had instructed the Department of Defence to utilise “every resource at their disposal” to support the American effort to help India’s health sector.
American leaders’ expression of support was followed by strong legislative commitment. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal called upon the US to address India’s request for raw materials and equipment that are necessary for production of the vaccines by the Indian pharmaceutical sector. Representative Ilhan Omar, Ann Kirkpatrick, Congressman Ro Khanna and Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey joined US public officials to extend solidarity and support to India as it faced one of the biggest crisis in decades.
Meanwhile, Modi spoke to Putin on telephone against the backdrop of reports that the first Russian consignment of support materials for India’s Covid-19 response was expected to reach the country on Thursday. Russian military aircraft will deliver more than 22 tonnes of equipment, including 20 oxygen production units, 75 ventilators, 150 medical monitors and 200,000 packs of medicine.
The leaders discussed the evolving pandemic situation, and Putin “expressed solidarity with the people and government of India and conveyed that Russia would extend all possible support in this regard”, according to a statement from the external affairs ministry.
Modi thanked Putin and said the “prompt Russian support to India was a symbol of our enduring partnership”.
Commonwealth to send medical supplies to India
Expressing gratitude to India for the support provided by the nation to small and vulnerable member countries earlier in the Covid-19 pandemic, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on Thursday assured medical help the government and its people facing “heavy burden” with the latest wave of infection.
“On behalf of the whole Commonwealth family, I want to express our deep concern and solidarity with the people and the government of India as your national agencies mobilise to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and as the latest wave of infection continues to spread so distressingly in your country,” Scotland said.
“We are immensely grateful for the support provided by the government of India to small and vulnerable member countries of the Commonwealth earlier in the Covid-19 pandemic, it was an immensely generous and practical response to this global emergency.
UN helping India fight Covid-19: spokesman
The United Nations is helping India in its uphill battle against Covid-19, said a UN spokesman. The UN team in India, led by Resident Coordinator Renata Lok-Dessallien, is supporting the authorities’ response to the pandemic by providing equipment and supplies, including to local governments, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Farhan Haq, said on Wednesday.
Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (Photo: UN/IANS)
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are procuring equipment and supplies, including 7,000 oxygen concentrators and 500 nasal devices for oxygen supply, as well as oxygen-generating plants, Covid-19 testing machines, and personal protective kits, he said.
Ireland offers Covid assistance
An emergency donation of 700 oxygen concentrators departed Ireland for India on Wednesday in response to the worsening Covid-19 outbreak there, according to a government statement.
A further donation of more life-saving equipment including at least one oxygen generator and 365 ventilators has been agreed and transport arrangements are being made, said the statement posted on the Irish government’s website.
The donation of the oxygen concentrators is being made from stocks originally purchased by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as part of pandemic preparations, said the statement.
The HSE is a state agency responsible for public health service in Ireland.
In a separate tweet, Twinkle wrote: “I think for the last few weeks with members of my own family ill I have been in a bit of a hole. But I couldn’t stay there for long…reports Asian Lite News.
Vaccine and Oxygen are the most essential needs of present-day India. Author Twinkle Khanna on Tuesday announced on Instagram that she along with her husband, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, we’re donating 100 oxygen concentrators in an effort to contribute to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Oxygen cylinders
“Wonderful news — Dr Drashnika Patel & Dr Govind Bankani of London Elite Health through Daivik Foundation are donating 120 oxygen concentrators and as @akshaykumar and I have managed to get our hands on 100 as well, we have a total of 220.Thank you for the leads. Let’s all do our bit,” tweeted Twinkle.
Please give me leads of a verified, reliable, registered NGO who will help distribute 100 oxygen concentrators (Supplies upto 4L/min of oxygen) that will be sent directly from the UK to them. 🙏
In a separate tweet, Twinkle wrote: “I think for the last few weeks with members of my own family ill I have been in a bit of a hole. But I couldn’t stay there for long.
I implore all of you in your own way to do whatever you can so we can look back at this bleak moment and at least say it took the worst but it brought out the best in all of us. #ILookForSilverLinings.”
