In 305 BCE, they ceded some regions to the Indian Maurya Empire as part of an alliance treaty.Alexander took these away from the Aryans and established settlements of his own, but Seleucus Nicator gave them to Sandrocottus (Chandragupta), upon terms of intermarriage and of receiving in exchange 500 elephants.

[24][25] Elisabeth Leake, an associate professor of International History at the University of Leeds writes: "Evidently, senior Indian officials supported the demand for Pashtunistan and Afghan aid to militant tribesmen.

It has been said that "the failure of the Indian government to publicly condemn the invasion, its support of the Soviet puppet regime of Kabul, and its hostile vision of the resistance have created major stumbling blocks in Afghan-Indian relations.

[34][35] Similarly the Taliban's move in 2001 to require Afghan Hindus to wear identification patches, reminiscent of Nazi policies, was heavily criticised by India.

[5][6] India's support and collaboration extends to the rebuilding of air links, power plants and investing in health and education sectors as well as helping to train Afghan civil servants, diplomats, and police.

[6] Afghanistan strengthened its ties with India in wake of persisting tensions and problems with Pakistan, which was suspected of continuing to shelter and support the Taliban.

[41] An agreement providing $50 million to promote bilateral businesses between Afghanistan and India was signed during the visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta between 29 June – 1 July 2006.

[45] Senior Indian Army officer Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta was entering the embassy gates in a car along with V. Venkateswara Rao when the attack took place.

[45] In the aftermath of the 2008 Indian embassy bombing in Kabul, the Afghan Foreign Ministry quoted India as a "brother country" and the relationship between the two as one which "no enemy can hamper".

India's pledge to rebuild Afghanistan reached a total of $2 billion in May 2011 after Manmohan Singh arrived in Kabul for a two-day visit.

[citation needed] According to a 2010 Gallup poll, which interviewed 1,000 adults, 50% Afghans approved of the job performance of India's leadership and 44% disapproved with 6% refusing to answer.

[49] The September 2011 assassination of former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani was condemned by India, which stated that "Tragically, the forces of terror and hatred have silenced yet another powerful voice of reason and peace in Afghanistan.

[50][51] India promised to stand by the people of Afghanistan as they prepare to assume the responsibility for their governance and security after the withdrawal of international forces in 2014.

[57] On 24 December 2015, India donated three Mi-25 attack helicopters (with an option to send one more in future) to Afghanistan as part of the bilateral strategic partnership to counter the Taliban.

[58] The next day, 25 December, Indian PM Narendra Modi visited Kabul to open the newly constructed Afghan parliament opposite the ruins of the Darul Aman Palace, which has been built by India for $90 million.

Modi said "It will stand as an enduring symbol of the ties of emotions and values, of affection and aspirations that bind us in a special relationship".

[59] On 4 June 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani formally inaugurated the $290-million Salma Dam with a capacity of 42 MW power generation.

The dam is expected to help Afghanistan capitalize on opportunities that will open up once the India-backed Chabahar project, linking the port in Iran to Central Asia's road and railway networks, is completed.

[77] India's wheat diplomacy to Afghanistan continues its decade-old practice to support the larger regional and global effort to reduce food insecurity in the country.

[81] The officials also discussed the possibility of Afghan businesses using the Iranian Chabahar port for the import and export of goods involving India.

[83] India seeks to expand its economic presence in Afghanistan as the international coalition fighting the Taliban withdraws combat forces through 2014.

Besides producing 42 MW of power, this Indo-Afghan friendship dam provides irrigation for 75,000 hectares of farmland in the Chisti Sharif district.

The Indian government was investing more than US$100 million in the expansion of the Chabahar port in southeastern Iran which would serve as a hub for the transportation of transit goods.

[84] As a goodwill gesture, India had also constructed a new Parliament complex for the Afghan government at a cost of ₹710 crore (equivalent to ₹11 billion or US$120 million in 2023).

[87] These have included infrastructural works like the construction of Afghanistan's Parliament, Salma Dam, schools and hospitals, power stations, stadiums, as well as material and financial support like shipments of wheat and pulses, medicines etc.

[94] The foundation stone for the new Afghan Parliament was laid in August 2005 by the last king of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah, in the presence of Hamid Karzai and Manmohan Singh.

[95] India's Central Public Works Department (CPWD) was the consultant for the project and the contract was awarded to an Indian infrastructure company in 2008.

The deadline, however, was pushed back due to challenging work conditions, shortage of skilled workforce and precarious security environment.

[98] On December 25, 2015, during a state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new Parliament building was inaugurated along with President Ashraf Ghani.

[111] Farid Mamundzay, the Ambassador of Afghanistan in India appointed by the erstwhile Ashraf Ghani government, however announced on September 30, 2023, closure of the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi.