India abstained from voting on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on the situation in Afghanistan and noted that a “business as usual” approach without new and targeted initiatives is unlikely to deliver the outcomes the international community envisions for the Afghan people.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, while delivering the explanation of the vote on the UNGA resolution, said that India is closely monitoring the security situation in Afghanistan. He called on the international community to direct its coordinated efforts towards ensuring that entities and individuals designated by the UN no longer exploit Afghan soil for terrorist activities.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on Afghanistan to uphold human rights, adhere to international law and take decisive action against terrorism amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, rising numbers of returnees and the enduring impact of decades of conflict.

Recalling recent talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Taliban-appointed Foreign Minister, Harish said, “On the political front, India’s External Affairs Minister recently spoke with the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan. He said, New Delhi welcomes the strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack of April 22, 2025, by the Afghan side. He stated that India’s approach to Afghanistan has always been guided by “long-standing friendship and special friendship” with the Afghans. He added that, as a long-standing partner, India has direct stakes in ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Mr Harish said, India has been actively engaging with regional and international stakeholders to promote peace, stability and development in Afghanistan since the UNGA last considered the issue in 2022.

He also spoke about the humanitarian assistance provided by India to Afghanistan.