India has reiterated its condemnation of Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan and expressed “firm support” for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while stopping short of saying whether the Taliban had sought military or defense assistance from New Delhi.
Responding at a news briefing on Friday to a question about possible Indian military assistance to the Taliban after the Pakistani strikes, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi’s engagement with Afghanistan remained focused on humanitarian aid and development cooperation.
“We strongly condemned the airstrikes carried out from Pakistani territory into Afghanistan, which resulted in the loss of civilian lives, including women and children,” Jaiswal said. “While expressing our sympathies and condolences over these tragic losses, we reiterated our firm support for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Jaiswal said India’s humanitarian and development engagement with Afghanistan would continue. He did not directly address whether the Taliban had requested defense or military assistance from New Delhi.
India has maintained ties with Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, providing food, medicine and other humanitarian assistance while supporting development initiatives. New Delhi has not formally recognized the Taliban rule.
India has emerged as the only country to explicitly condemn Pakistan’s latest airstrikes in Afghanistan. Other governments and international organizations have expressed concern over civilian casualties, urged restraint and called for the protection of civilians, but have stopped short of directly condemning the strikes.
Pakistan has rejected India’s criticism as “baseless and ridiculous” and defended the strikes as “legitimate, targeted and proportionate” operations against what it described as terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has also accused India of supporting militant groups operating from Afghan territory against Pakistan. It has not publicly presented evidence to support the allegation.
Pakistani forces carried out airstrikes last Sunday night in parts of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others wounded, with women and children among the victims.
Pakistan said the strikes targeted hideouts belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, and claimed that 25 militants were killed.
The Taliban have rejected Pakistan’s account, accusing Islamabad of attacking civilian homes and violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty. The strikes have further strained relations between the Taliban and Pakistan, which have deteriorated sharply over Islamabad’s accusations that the TTP operates from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan — allegations the Taliban deny.
