India sends wheat to Afghanisthan via Iran

New Delhi, Oct 29: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Foreign Minister of Afghanistan H E Salahuddin Rabbani and Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran H E Javad Zarif, through a joint video conference on Sunday have flagged off the first shipment of wheat from India to Afghanistan that would be transhipped through the Chabahar port in Iran.

Sources say that the shipment is a part of a commitment made by the Indian Government to supply 1.1 million tonnes of wheat for the people of Afghanistan on the grant basis.

Officials said that "this is the first shipment that would be going to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port after a Trilateral Agreement on Establishment of International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Iran in May 2016."

Six more wheat shipments will be sent to Afghanistan over the next few months, officials added. Sushma Swaraj has said that " India stands committed to support reconstruction, capacity building and socio-economic development of Afghanistan".