India has supplied 3.6 tonnes of medical assistance and 5,00,000 doses of Covid vaccines to Afghanistan while the process to procure wheat and arrange its transportation to that country is currently underway, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.

Asked about humanitarian aid to Afghanistan at an online media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the government is committed to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, comprising food grains, Covid vaccines and essential life-saving drugs.

"During the last few weeks, 3.6 tonnes of medical assistance and 5,00,000 doses of Covid vaccines have been supplied," he said. The process to procure wheat and to arrange its transportation is currently underway, he said, adding that this takes some time. India has already announced that it will send 50,000 tonnes of wheat and medicines to Afghanistan by road transport through Pakistan. India and Pakistan were said to be finalising the modalities for transportation of the consignments.

It has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country. India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.

India has been concerned over the recent developments in Afghanistan. It hosted a regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10 last year that was attended by NSAs of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.