Taliban welcomes Budget 2023, says will boost ties between nations

KABUL: The Taliban regime in Afghanistan welcomed the Rs 200 crore aid package to the war-torn country in Budget 2023 announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday. Khaama Press reported that this is the second time that India has extended a helping hand since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

“We appreciate the development assistance India has extended to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. It will boost ties and trust between the two countries,” Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said.

Before the Taliban took over the Afghan government, India had funded projects worth billions of rupees. But India had cut diplomatic ties with Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the administration.

“There were various projects in Afghanistan which were being funded by India before independence of the country and IEA’s takeover. If India resumes work on these projects, it will contribute to boosting relations between the two countries and eliminating distrust,” Shaheen said.