Senior officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Muslim World League (MWL) have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and support Afghanistan amid ongoing humanitarian and development challenges.

The meeting between OIC Assistant Secretary-General Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet and MWL Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa was held on Saturday on the sidelines of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, which began on Sunday in Islamabad with the participation of delegates from 57 OIC member states.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation and agreed to launch several joint programs aimed at serving Islamic causes and broadening areas of joint work.

They also exchanged views on recent developments in Afghanistan, discussing ways to support the Afghan people in overcoming humanitarian and development challenges. Both sides emphasized the importance of coordinated Islamic and international efforts to provide necessary assistance and sustain relief and humanitarian initiatives.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador Bakheet conveyed the OIC’s appreciation for the Muslim World League’s efforts, under the leadership of Al-Issa, in promoting moderation and balance and serving the causes of the Muslim Ummah.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has announced 1,000 online scholarships for Afghan students to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes at Indian universities during the 2026-27 academic year.

The scholarships are being offered under the Special Scholarship Scheme for Afghan Nationals (SSSAN) through India’s e-VidyaBharti (e-VB) Network Project, which provides online higher education to students from partner countries.

According to the ICCR announcement, the scholarships cover online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in a range of disciplines, including arts, commerce, management, business administration and computer science. Tuition, admission, examination and other academic fees will be covered under the programme.

Applications will open on July 15 through the e-VidyaBharti i-Learn portal, with the deadline for online submissions set for July 24.

The scholarships are open to Afghan nationals residing anywhere in the world, provided they hold a valid Afghan national identity document or passport. Students admitted under the programme will study online through participating Indian universities approved by India’s University Grants Commission (UGC).

The ICCR advised applicants to review the list of participating universities and available courses on the e-VidyaBharti portal before submitting their applications. Admission will be limited to programmes offered by participating institutions.

The e-VidyaBharti Network Project was launched by India’s Ministry of External Affairs in 2019 to expand access to higher education through online learning. The initiative enables international students to pursue degree programmes remotely while receiving financial support for their studies.

The latest scholarship announcement continues India’s education support for Afghan students and provides an opportunity for eligible applicants to obtain internationally recognised university qualifications through distance learning.