New Delhi: India strongly condemned Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in Afghanistan during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the situation in the country, highlighting the killing of innocent civilians, including women, children, and cricketers. India’s position emphasized a balanced approach to engagement with the Taliban, coupled with humanitarian and development support for Afghanistan, while expressing serious concerns over violations of international law and regional stability.

Addressing the UNSC on Wednesday, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, underscored the need for “pragmatic engagement” with the Taliban. He cautioned that an approach relying solely on punitive measures would only perpetuate a “business as usual” scenario, pointing out that the Taliban’s behavior in the past four and a half years demonstrated the limitations of sanctions or isolated punitive actions. “A coherent policy of engagement should incentivize positive actions,” he noted, stressing that engagement should encourage reforms and constructive participation by all Afghan stakeholders.

Commitment to Afghanistan’s Development and Humanitarian Assistance

Harish reaffirmed India’s long-standing commitment to Afghanistan’s development, humanitarian assistance, and capacity-building initiatives. He highlighted the recent upgrade of India’s technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy as a signal of Delhi’s intent to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development. “We will continue our engagements with all stakeholders to augment our contribution to Afghanistan’s comprehensive development, humanitarian assistance, and capacity-building initiatives, in keeping with the priorities and aspirations of Afghan society,” Harish said.

India emphasized that development assistance should be aligned with the needs and aspirations of Afghan society, reflecting a long-term commitment to stability, education, infrastructure, and capacity-building. These initiatives are intended to help the Afghan people overcome years of conflict, underdevelopment, and humanitarian crises while reinforcing Afghanistan’s sovereignty and institutional capacities.

Condemnation of Civilian Casualties and Violations of International Law

During the UNSC session, India also supported the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan’s (UNAMA) concerns over Pakistan’s airstrikes that resulted in civilian deaths. Harish condemned the killing of women, children, and cricketers, emphasizing the humanitarian costs of such military operations. “India echoes UNAMA’s concern over airstrikes and condemns the killing of innocent women, children, and cricketers in Afghanistan,” he said.

In addition to civilian casualties, India raised concerns over what it termed the practice of “trade and transit terrorism,” highlighting Pakistan’s closure of access routes for Afghanistan. As a land-locked country, Afghanistan relies heavily on transit corridors through neighboring nations for trade and essential supplies. Harish described these actions as violations of World Trade Organization (WTO) norms and argued that such blockades exacerbate the humanitarian challenges facing the Afghan population. “Such open threats and acts of war against a fragile and vulnerable land-locked developing country, trying to rebuild in difficult circumstances, constitute a blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law,” he stated.

India also reiterated its support for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence, stressing the importance of peaceful coexistence and respect for international norms.

Recent Clashes Between Taliban and Pakistani Forces

The condemnation comes in the backdrop of renewed clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistan’s military along the border, less than two months after both sides had agreed to a ceasefire to end weeks of tensions. Each side blamed the other for violating the ceasefire, exacerbating an already fragile security situation. These incidents have drawn international concern, as they directly affect the civilian population and impede reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.

India’s intervention at the UNSC emphasized that stability in Afghanistan requires coordinated efforts that combine diplomatic engagement, development support, and respect for human rights and international law. By highlighting civilian casualties and impediments to trade and transit, India sought to underscore the urgent need for Pakistan to respect Afghan sovereignty and ensure that military operations do not target civilians or disrupt essential supply routes.

India-Afghanistan Diplomatic Engagements

India’s diplomatic ties with Afghanistan have evolved since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. At that time, India withdrew most of its embassy staff from Kabul due to security concerns. In June 2022, India redeployed a technical team to re-establish its diplomatic presence.

In October 2025, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited New Delhi for a six-day trip, marking the first visit by a senior Taliban leader since 2021. During the visit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Muttaqi held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral cooperation, including infrastructure projects, humanitarian assistance, education, and health. The visit culminated in India upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to full embassy status, reaffirming its commitment to ongoing development initiatives and assistance programs in Afghanistan.

Through these diplomatic engagements, India has emphasized the importance of stable governance, human rights protections, and the inclusion of all sections of Afghan society in nation-building efforts. The focus has been on fostering long-term development, strengthening governance institutions, and providing humanitarian relief, particularly to vulnerable populations affected by decades of conflict.

Balancing Engagement and Accountability

India’s position at the UNSC reflects a nuanced approach—promoting constructive engagement with the Taliban while insisting on accountability and adherence to international law. Harish highlighted that punitive actions alone have proven insufficient in influencing Taliban behavior, and positive incentives must complement measures to encourage responsible governance and adherence to human rights norms.

By raising concerns over Pakistan’s military actions and trade restrictions, India reinforced the principle that Afghanistan’s reconstruction and stability should not be undermined by external aggression or coercive measures. This approach also aligns with India’s broader regional security strategy, which seeks to ensure peace and stability in South Asia while safeguarding the rights and welfare of the Afghan people.

Conclusion

India’s intervention at the UN Security Council underscores its commitment to supporting Afghanistan’s development, sovereignty, and territorial integrity while condemning external military actions that harm civilians. By backing UNAMA’s concerns over Pakistan’s airstrikes and highlighting the adverse impacts of trade and transit restrictions, India has positioned itself as a responsible regional actor advocating for peace, stability, and humanitarian protection in Afghanistan.

The focus on pragmatic engagement with the Taliban, combined with development assistance and international advocacy, reflects India’s multi-pronged strategy to help Afghanistan rebuild, ensure the safety of its civilians, and uphold international norms, even amidst ongoing regional tensions.