New Delhi

Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali on Saturday said India is emerging as an important alternative partner for Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical needs as Kabul’s relations with Pakistan have deteriorated.

Speaking to reporters here, Jalali said Pakistan earlier accounted for nearly 60–70 per cent of Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical supply, but recent disruptions had compelled the country to look for other reliable partners.

“Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical supply market was largely dependent on Pakistan. Due to recent issues, we have had to explore alternative solutions, and India is one of them,” he said.

Emphasising a pragmatic approach, Jalali said political differences should not obstruct healthcare cooperation. “As the Minister of Public Health, I have only one enemy — disease. If I can fight it with the help of any country, I will seek that assistance,” he said, adding that Afghanistan’s relationship with Pakistan has “deteriorated”.

The Afghan minister said Kabul was keen to open a “new chapter” of cooperation with India, citing long-standing ties and India’s role as a dependable health partner.

Jalali is in India to attend the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. On the sidelines of the event, he held discussions with Minister of State for AYUSH Prataprao Jadhav on expanding cooperation in traditional systems of medicine, including Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy.

The Ministry of AYUSH said the talks reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Afghanistan to promote traditional medicine as a key pillar of people-centric healthcare.

Jalali also met Union Health Minister J P Nadda, with discussions focusing on humanitarian and healthcare assistance to Afghanistan. India reiterated its commitment to continued medical support, including long-term supply of medicines.

As part of this engagement, India handed over cancer medicines and vaccines to Afghanistan and announced the dispatch of a larger consignment of medicines, vaccines and a 128-slice CT scanner to strengthen healthcare services in the country.

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The visit marks Jalali’s first official trip to India and comes amid New Delhi’s continued humanitarian outreach to Afghanistan despite evolving regional dynamics.