India has sent a diplomatic mission to Afghanistan for the first time since New Delhi officially closed its embassy in Kabul in 1996, Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh said Wednesday.
"The mission, which included a special envoy for Afghanistan, arrived at Bagram air field near Kabul at 0955 hours (0425 GMT) on Wednesday," Singh told parliament.
The mission also includes a team of doctors and nurses, he said.
India, like Russia and Iran, supported the Northern Alliance in its fight against the Taliban, which came to power with the help of Pakistan.
The Indian embassy in Kabul was closed on September 26, 1996 after the Taliban seized the capital.
India has pledged more than 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid for rebuilding Afghanistan – New Delhi (AFP)
