India Condemns Pakistan's Airstrikes, Reiterates Support Of Afghanistan's Sovereignty

Last Updated:July 03, 2026, 16:30 IST

The MEA said that India remains committed to supporting Afghanistan through humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.

India on Friday strongly condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghanistan, reiterating its support for Kabul’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while affirming that New Delhi will continue its humanitarian and development assistance to the Afghan people.

Responding to a question during the Ministry of External Affairs’ weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had unequivocally denounced the Pakistani strikes, which reportedly killed several civilians, including women and children.

“We had strongly condemned the airstrikes from Pakistan into Afghanistan, in which several civilian lives, including those of women and children, were lost. We had offered our condolences on the loss of these precious lives, and at the same time, we had reiterated our strong support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Afghanistan," Jaiswal said.

He added that India remains committed to supporting Afghanistan through humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.

“As far as the support you are talking about with regard to Afghanistan is concerned, we have ongoing humanitarian assistance cooperation. We have been sending medicines, we have been providing other forms of support, and we have also been offering development projects that can benefit the lives of the people there. That continues," he said.

The remarks come amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan following a series of cross-border military exchanges.

On Thursday, the US State Department said Washington supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, while saying that the Pakistani people have suffered significantly due to terrorism.

The latest flare-up follows one of the worst bouts of fighting between the two neighbours in recent years. According to the United Nations, at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others injured in Pakistani airstrikes carried out along the Afghanistan border.

In response, Afghanistan’s Taliban government claimed it launched retaliatory airstrikes inside Pakistani territory. Islamabad, meanwhile, said its security forces intercepted and shot down four rudimentary drones over Balochistan.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of sheltering militants responsible for attacks inside its territory. The Taliban administration has rejected the allegations, insisting that militancy is Pakistan’s internal issue and accusing Islamabad of attempting to shift blame for its own security challenges.

Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation, possesses significantly greater conventional military capabilities than Afghanistan. However, the Taliban, which returned to power in Kabul following the US withdrawal in 2021, has decades of experience in guerrilla warfare.

The renewed hostilities come at a time when relations between Washington and Islamabad have improved following US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Pakistan has also been playing a diplomatic role in efforts to ease tensions arising from the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

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Saurabh VermaSenior Sub-editor

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

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