India to stand by Afghans: Jaishankar bats for resumption of regular flights at UN meet

India is monitoring the developments in Afghanistan with "understandable" concern, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday. He made the remarks while addressing the United Nations High-Level meeting on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan.

The EAM went on to add that Afghanistan is passing through a critical and challenging phase. Afghans are facing the imminent threat of rising poverty levels and the same could have a catastrophic effect on stability in the region, S Jaishankar said.

"As an immediate neighbour, India is monitoring developments with understandable concern. The UNDP recently assessed that there is an imminent threat of poverty levels rising from 72 per cent to 97 per cent. This would have catastrophic consequences for regional stability," news agency ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying.

EAM bats for resumption of regular flights

Demanding that such safe passage be sought without any delays, the EAM said normalisation of regular commercial (flight) operations" out of Kabul airport could become the basis of a "regular flow of relief material".

India willing to stand by Afghan people: EAM

Referring to India's historic ties with the Afghan people, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the friendship between the two countries is "reflected in Indian development projects in all 34 provinces" in Afghanistan.

"In the face of a grave emergency situation, India is willing to stand by the Afghan people, as in the past. The international community must come together to create the best possible, enabling environment," S Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar further appealed to the international community to come together and create the best possible environment to enable humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

"Once relief materials reach that country, the world will naturally expect a non-discriminatory distribution of humanitarian assistance, across all sections of Afghan society," he said.