Sushma Swaraj flags off first wheat consignment to Afghanistan through Chabahar port

Sushma Swaraj, Foreign Minister of Afghanistan and Foreign Minister of Iran flagged off the first shipment of wheat from India to Afghanistan on Sunday.

Pic courtesy: @MEAIndia

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Foreign Minister of Afghanistan HE Salahuddin Rabbani and Foreign Minister of Iran HE Javad Zarif, through a joint video conference on Sunday, flagged off the first shipment of wheat from India to Afghanistan.

The shipment would be tran-shipped through the Chabahar port in Iran.

As per an official statement by the MEA, "The shipment is part of commitment made by India to supply 1.1 million tonnes of wheat for the people of Afghanistan on grant basis."

"The two FMs welcomed the fact that this is the first shipment that would be going to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port after Trilateral Agreement on Establishment of International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Iran in May 2016," it added.

Six more wheat shipments will be sent to Afghanistan over the next few months. 

The MEA further said, "External Affairs Minister reiterated India’s continued commitment to support reconstruction, capacity building and socio-economic development of Afghanistan... She also renewed commitment to work closely with regional and international partners to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan."

EAM @SushmaSwaraj flags off first shipment of wheat from India to Afghanistan through Chabahar port, Iran & Afghanistan joined the ceremony. pic.twitter.com/W7hKek66D9 — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) October 29, 2017

Flag off of the first consignment of wheat assistance to Afghanistan through Chabahar port. Press Release at https://t.co/oF9bRA6crr pic.twitter.com/jN08oWhOHv — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) October 29, 2017