India Considering Taliban Govt’s Request To Resume Kabul Flight Operation

New Delhi: The Taliban government has urged India to resume commercial flights to Afghanistan capital Kabul.

Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA) has written to Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India (DGCA) as a follow-up of a letter earlier this month by Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s minister for Civil Aviation and Transport of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Alhaj Hamidullah Akhundzada.

Commercial flight operations to and from Kabul were closed from August 15 after the last batch of US troops pulled out of the war-torn country and the Taliban took charge.

“The Civil Aviation of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan extends its compliments to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India. As you are informed that recently the Kabul airport was damaged and these functional by American troops before their withdrawal. By technical assistance of our Qatar brother the airport became operational once again and a NOTAM in this regard was issued on September 06, 2021,” Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority wrote to DGCA.

Taliban’s request is being jointly reviewed by DGCA and the External Affairs ministry, ANI reported quoting a top government source. The Centre has an interest, too, as there are still some Indians in Afghanistan who want to return to their country.

India’s last commercial flight to Kabul on August 15, when it brought back over 100 of its nationals.

The airspace of Afghanistan was closed for commercial flights till September 5. Pakistan International Airlines was the first to operate a flight to Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover, on September 13.