Overview
- External affairs minister S. Jaishankar phoned Afghan foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi to offer condolences and confirm the handover of relief, with additional medical supplies to follow soon.
- India’s foreign ministry said food items were delivered to affected families, and Afghan authorities reported a 15‑tonne consignment as images showed aid trucks on the ground.
- A 6.3‑magnitude earthquake near Mazar‑i‑Sharif struck Balkh, Samangan and Baghlan, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds, according to officials.
- Reports cited structural damage, including to Mazar‑i‑Sharif’s Blue Mosque, and blockages on the Balkh–Samangan highway that hampered rescue and distribution.
- The assistance follows India’s recent donation of over 16 tonnes of anti‑vector‑borne disease medicines and comes after New Delhi upgraded its Kabul mission to an embassy.