Afghanistan's Political Landscape Has Changed, UN Must Revisit Sanctions: India at UNSC

India has urged the United Nations to reassess its sanctions regime on Afghanistan, arguing that the country's political landscape has undergone a fundamental transformation and that international policy must adapt to realities on the ground.

Addressing the UN Security Council's quarterly meeting on Afghanistan, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said, " The political reality of Afghanistan has changed in the last five years and the current UN sanctions regime must take that into account. " He added that the international community should focus on encouraging positive behaviour rather than relying solely on punitive measures.

Parvathaneni said the UN and the wider international community need policy tools that benefit ordinary Afghans and help guide governance in a constructive direction. " We lend our voice again in reemphasising the importance of incentivising positive actions, " he said, warning that sanctions and punitive measures alone are yielding diminishing returns.

Reaffirming India's commitment to Afghanistan, the envoy described India and Afghanistan as neighbouring civilisational states bound by centuries of historical and cultural ties. He said India would continue to stand for peace, stability and development in Afghanistan, noting that Indian humanitarian and capacity-building initiatives extend across all 34 provinces through more than 500 development projects.

"The proud people of Afghanistan have endured a lot in this century and the Government of India will continue to stand in favour of peace and stability," he said. He added that visits by Afghan ministers to India last year had helped ensure better coordination so that assistance reaches intended beneficiaries.

The Indian envoy also used the UNSC platform to criticise Pakistan's policies towards Afghanistan. Referring to Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory, he cited UN reports indicating significant civilian casualties and said such actions could not be justified under the guise of counter-terrorism. He further accused Islamabad of restricting Afghanistan's trade routes and exploiting the vulnerabilities of a landlocked country.

Parvathaneni said blocking Afghanistan's access to trade and transit routes runs contrary to UN principles governing landlocked developing countries. He described the policy as the instrumentalisation of Afghanistan's trade and transit vulnerabilities and remarked that " blaming neighbours for its own failures is an old Pakistani habit. "

India contrasted Pakistan's approach with its own engagement, highlighting tariff-free access for Afghan exports, humanitarian assistance, scholarships and business visas for Afghan citizens.

The discussion comes ahead of a crucial UN Security Council review of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). During the meeting, UN officials noted that Afghanistan remains largely stable under the current authorities, though concerns persist regarding humanitarian conditions, governance challenges and the country's long-term political trajectory.

Concluding his remarks, Parvathaneni warned against international disengagement from Afghanistan, saying, " Generations of Afghans having suffered years of active hostility are now suffering neglect of the international community. " He urged sustained global engagement aimed at improving livelihoods and ensuring long-term stability for the Afghan people.