New Delhi [India]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke on the telephone with President of the European Council Charles Michel about the evolving situation in Afghanistan and reiterated India’s commitment to further strengthening India-EU relations. “Spoke with @eucopresident Charles Michel, President of the European Council, about the evolving situation in Afghanistan. Also reiterated our commitment to further strengthening India-EU relations,” Modi wrote on Twitter. “The leaders discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan and the implications for the region and the world. They unequivocally condemned the horrific terror attack at the Kabul International Airport that resulted in many casualties. They emphasized the importance of a stable and secure Afghanistan and discussed the potential role India and the EU could play in this context,” an official statement read. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch on bilateral and global issues, in particular, the situation in Afghanistan, it said. PM Modi has established a high-level group comprising of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, which is updating him on the Afghan situation and are taking required steps to focus on immediate priorities including evacuation of stranded Indians. As the United States completes its military mission in Afghanistan and the Taliban takes over complete control, India said it is closely monitoring the evolving situation. Meanwhile, India today held a meeting with a Taliban leader in Doha on latter’s request. Ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Head of Taliban’s Political Office. The meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha. The discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit to India also came up, a statement by the external affairs minstry read. Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner. The Taliban representative assured the Ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed.
