At UNSC, India calls for immediate ceasefire in Afghanistan

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Context: India has told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that it calls for an “immediate comprehensive ceasefire” in Afghanistan, while welcoming all opportunities to bring peace to the country.

India reiterated that “For durable peace in Afghanistan, we have to put an end to terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries operating across the Durand Line,”

Afghan peace process and premature withdrawal of NATO/ U.S. coalition forces could leave opportunities for terrorist networks that could target both Afghanistan and India.
UN issued a report providing evidence that despite assurances from the Taliban to the United States, Al Qaeda is still present and active in Afghanistan, harboured by the Taliban.”
India’s reconstruction and development assistance to Afghanistan since over the last nearly two decades is a testimony to resolve Afghanistan’s peace and stability that we have invested both with sweat and blood for the development of Afghanistan.
Four requirements for peace and stability in Afghanistan are
- First, the process had to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.
- Second, there must be zero tolerance for terrorism.
- Third, rights of women need to be strongly protected, the rights of the minorities and the vulnerable need to be safeguarded.
- Fourth, the transit rights of Afghanistan should not be used by countries “to extract [a] political price from Afghanistan,”