Afghan Foreign Minister to visit India today

Afghanistan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar will be on a three-day visit to India from March 22 to 24.

Afghstan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar will be on a three-day visit to India from March 22 to 24.

According to the schedule released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Atmar will arrive at 1:30 pm at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in New Delhi.

He will then meet with the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar at the Hyderabad House at 6 pm.

He will leave New Delhi on March 24.

Under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, India had earlier sent COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Afghstan to aid its fight against the virus.

Afghstan Ambassador to India Farid Mamundza has termed India as the most reliable regional partner and the largest regional contributor to development.

He thanked the Indian government for providing defence and security assistance by helping with military hardware and providing "much-needed training opportunities to many of our cadets".

"As the most reliable regional partner and the largest regional contributor to Afghstan's development, I would like to thank the Government of India for providing much-needed defence and security assistance by helping us with military hardware and providing much-needed training opportunities to many of our cadets at the finest Indian military academies along with some of the finest Indian military officers," he had said.

Mamundzay on the occasion of Navroz celebration wished for lasting peace between the two countries.

"Navroz promotes values of peace and harmony between generations and within communities as well as reconciliation in good neighbourliness. Navroz plays a major role in strengthening the ties based on mutual respect in ideals of peace and good friendliness. I hope this Navroz brings lasting peace and prosperity to Afghstan and India," the Afghan envoy said.

( With inputs from ANI )