India backs Afghanistan in conflict with Pakistan

India has backed Afghanistan in its latest conflict with Pakistan, expressing full support for Afghan territorial integrity.

In a media briefing on Thursday, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters that Pakistan “hosts terrorist organizations” and “sponsors terrorist activities” in the neighborhood.

“It is an old practice of Pakistan to blame its neighbors for its own internal failures, and Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories,” Jaiswal said. “India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan.” 

Jaiswal’s comments came a day after Afghan and Pakistani armed forces engaged in fierce fighting, which resulted in the deaths of over a dozen civilians.

The countries agreed on a 48-hour truce after trading blame with each other for initiating the fighting and making conflicting claims on casualties. 

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Last week, India said it would re-establish its embassy in Kabul, effectively restoring diplomatic relations after a four-year gap. In a meeting with his Afghan counterpart, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in New Delhi, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said, “Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience.” Muttaqi said the reopening of the Indian Embassy will “open a new chapter” in relations between the two neighbors, adding that Afghanistan considers India as a “close friend.”

The Indian Embassy in Kabul was closed after the Taliban took control following the US withdrawal in 2021. The embassy building has been operating as a technical mission to help facilitate Indian humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.