India condemns Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghanistan at UNSC, calls out ‘trade and transit terrorism’

India condemns Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghanistan at UNSC, calls out ‘trade and transit terrorism’

India strongly condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghanistan during a United Nations Security Council discussion, denouncing the killing of civilians, including women, children, and cricketers. Echoing the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), India said the attacks violated the UN Charter and international law, urging full protection of civilians.

“We add our voice to calls for paying full respect to the United Nations Charter and international law with particular attention to the protection of innocent civilians," India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, said, highlighting the humanitarian toll on communities already facing deep crisis.

India also expressed “grave concern” over Pakistan’s so-called “trade and transit terrorism,” citing the closure of key access routes for Afghanistan, a landlocked country reliant on cross-border movement for essential supplies.

“These acts are in violation of WTO norms. Such open threats and acts of war against a fragile and vulnerable LLDC nation... constitute a blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law,” Mr. Harish added.

While condemning these actions, India reaffirmed its strong support for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. The envoy emphasized the need for “pragmatic, coherent engagement with the Taliban,” noting that international policy should incentivize positive actions rather than relying solely on punitive measures, which risk perpetuating the “business as usual” dynamic over the last four and a half years.

India urged the international community to coordinate efforts to prevent UN-designated terror entities and individuals, including ISIL, Al-Qaida, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and proxies such as the Resistance Front, from using Afghan territory for cross-border terrorism.

Highlighting the economic fallout from Pakistan’s border closures, Mr. Harish noted how trade disruptions have affected Afghan farmers and families, particularly during the harvest season. The UNSC discussion also drew attention to the broader humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan.

Amidst the criticism, India announced expanded humanitarian support, with a focus on healthcare. “Healthcare is a particularly important need for the Afghan people right now," Mr. Harish said. "In this regard, India has undertaken establishment of a Thalassemia Centre, a Modern Diagnostic Centre... Additionally, India will construct a 30-bed hospital in Kabul’s Bagrami district, an Oncology Centre and a Trauma Centre in Kabul, and five Maternity Health Clinics."

India has also restored its technical mission in Kabul to full embassy status and continues to oversee more than 500 development projects across Afghanistan. “As Afghanistan’s contiguous neighbour, India deeply values its civilizational relationship and centuries-old bonds of friendship,” the envoy added.

The UNSC meeting comes amid ongoing efforts to address Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, including the repatriation of millions of refugees, which has further strained resources.