Latest News
Back
India's message to Afghanistan in Union Budget 2022
India’s message to Afghanistan in Union Budget 2022.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the union budget 2022 on February 1st and the budget allocated to different countries clearly indicate India’s priorities. Last year when Afghanistan was not under the control of Kabul India allocated 348 crores in its budget to Afghanistan. This year there was drastic change in India’s allocation of the budget to different states such as:
- Ministry of External Affairs
- (MEA) allocated 600 crores to Myanmar, 200 crores more than last year.
- MEA allocated 12 crores to Mongolia and when compared to last year it has increased 10 crores in its budget to Mongolia
- MEA allocated 120 crores to SAARC (south Asian Association for regional cooperation) a steep rise from 94crore which was allocated last year.
- MEA allocated 360 crores to Maldives whereas last year it was allocated 250 crores.
- MEA allocated 900 crores for Mauritius
- MEA allocated 100 crores for Iran’s Chabahar port
- MEA allocated 2266.24 crores to Bhutan whereas it was allocated 3004.95 crores last year
- MEA allocated 750 crores for Nepal whereas last year it was allocated 992 crores
- MEA allocated 200 crores to Afghanistan
The allocated budget for most of the countries have increased or almost same as last year whereas, the budget allocated for Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal is decreased when compared to the budget allocated to these countries in the last year. Afghanistan was taken over by Kabul in August 2021 and since then the Indian embassy in Kabul is closed and India did not recognise the Kabul government yet.
The budget allocated to Afghanistan can be interpreted in two ways:
- That the budget allocated towards the Afghanistan is less than last year as Indian government did not Recognise Kabul Govt yet (or)
- India’s commitment to provide relief materials and humanitarian assistance to war torn country like Afghanistan will not be stopped even though it has not recognised the Afghanistan government.
Low budget was allocated to Afghanistan because:
- all big, small and medium infrastructure projects in Afghanistan are stopped after the attack of Kabul on Afghanistan and
- infrastructure projects carried under the president Ashraf Ghani through sanctions were stopped
- Kanwal Sibal former foreign secretary said that “Despite the fact that the Taliban have taken over, it’s a message to the Afghan public that India still is interested in their welfare. It’s of course a lower laid allocation than in 2020-21 because at that time, we were involved on ground in many projects”
So, the statement given by the former foreign secretary explains clearly the message behind the allocation of the budget even-though India don’t recognise their government and also explains the reason for allocating lowest budget than last year but apart from this budget India has helped Afghanistan in many other matters even after it was taken over by Kabul such as Providing medical kits including live saving medicines and vaccines during covid emergency period. India has also made plans to send tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan in collaboration with un food Programme.
To conclude the budget announced by the finance minister Seetharaman clearly indicates a message to Afghanistan people that India is still having concerns over welfare of the Afghan even-though India do not recognise the government yet and because of the halt on infrastructure project on Kabul there is less amount allocated to Afghanistan than last year.
