“Providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan is an important part of our assistance program,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said.

He added that in the last few years, India has dispatched 50,000 metric tons of wheat, 40,000 liters of pesticide, 30 tons medicines and 28 tons of earthquake relief aid.

“We have longstanding ties with the people of Afghanistan, and these ties will continue to guide our approach toward the country,” he said.

The Indian delegation led by JP Singh, foreign ministry’s joint secretary for the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division, met the Islamic Emirate officials including Acting Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid.

Jaiswal said that it was India’s first official meeting with Mujahid.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Economic Affairs’ office says the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has prioritized the growth of trade, the modernization of commercial land ports and the development of infrastructure.

The Deputy PM’s office said that in today's world, trade plays an important role in the economic development of countries, the social well-being of society, and the development of trade requires the creation of a single trade system and the removal of existing barriers and the

reduction of customs tariffs.

“Our ports with a number of neighboring countries are active 24 hours a day. We are trying to make our ports with all neighboring countries active 24 hours a day because we want our business to expand both in the export and import sectors. Therefore, we also have plans to

standardize ports so that our ports can export and import according to standards with all countries,” said Abdul Salam Jawad Akhundzadah, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Deputy PM’s office stated the IEA has intensified its efforts in this field, an example of which is the increase in the country's export level.

It added that the level of trade deficit is still high, but detailed plans have been drawn up to eliminate the existing deficit in the trade sector.

Meanwhile, the installation of electronic scanners at 12 customs points at border crossings of the country is one example of work being done to modernize the land ports.

Torghundi, Islam Qala, Zaranj, Spin Boldak, Ghulam Khan, Torkham, Aqina, Hairatan and Shir Khan are important land ports through which thousands of tons of goods are moved through daily.

Acting Economy Minister Deen Mohammad Hanif met on Thursday with the EU envoy for Afghanistan, Veronika Boskovic Pohar, for discussions on the continuation of humanitarian and development aid to the country, the ministry said in a statement.

Hanif expressed his appreciation for the humanitarian assistance of the EU to the people of Afghanistan and requested the continuation of the assistance in various sectors.

Boskovic Pohar also expressed her satisfaction with the achievements and economic programs of the Islamic Emirate and assured Hanif of holding a conference soon on the support of small enterprises.

Boskovic Pohar also promised to cooperate by allocating $100 million in support of humanitarian aid and development projects in the agriculture sector.

She also assured him that they will share the objectives, ideas and proposals of the Ministry of Economy with the members of the EU and the international community.