From providing support for military capacity building to assistance in infrastructure sector, improving road connectivity between New Delhi and Kabul to exploring investment and trade opportunities, India on Tuesday offered support to “its old friend” Afghanistan in diverse sectors.
During the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, India also pledged continued financial and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. Modi said India has a shared interest in the success of an “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” process “without the shadow of violence.”
Sources said the Afghan delegation expressed desire for military equipment from India. Post drawdown of NATO forces, Afghanistan has sought military hardware and equipment like attack and transport helicopters, automatic guns, armoured vehicles to strengthen its own security forces.
A list of 230 military requirements was handed out to former PM Manmohan Singh by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai during his visit last year. It is learnt Modi reassured Afghanistan of India’s “continued support” in its military capacity building. Sources said the Indian side asked the Afghan delegation to “let their fresh defence requirements be known” to India.
“We are prepared to continue our support for capacity building of Afghan security forces. I am pleased that we have delivered three Cheetal Helicopters to Afghanistan, which will add to the growing capabilities of the valiant Afghan forces,” Modi said during a joint media briefing with Ghani.
During their bilateral talks, Ghani and Modi held detailed discussions on co-operation in combating terrorism, which has bothered both India and Afghanistan, and pressed for co-operation in dismantling terror networks in the region.
Without naming Pakistan with whom Afghanistan shares a volatile border due to high insurgency, Modi said that Afghanistan’s success requires a positive and constructive approach from “neighbours,” including an end to support for violence.
“We share Afghanistan’s pain over persisting terrorism and extremist violence that destroy lives and derail progress. I thank him for our cooperation against terrorism. We are deeply grateful to the Afghan security forces, who protect our people in Afghanistan as they would their own,” added the PM.
Making a statement following talks with Ghani, Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to take the Chabahar Port project in Iran forward saying Afghanistan’s direct surface link to India and the rest of South Asia, and increased connectivity to sea, could turn Afghanistan into a big connecting hub.
“We are ready to welcome Afghan trucks at Attari. We are also prepared to join the successor agreement to Afghan Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement. This will re-establish one of the oldest trading routes of South Asia. I also reaffirmed my commitment to take the Chabahar Port project in Iran forward. We will also quickly conclude a bilateral Motor Vehicles Agreement,” PM said.
India also conveyed fresh support for Habibia School in Kabul, the Indira Gandhi Child Health Care Hospital and Red Crescent Society Fund for treatment of children with congenital heart disease.
Deviating from the United States of America, and his predecessor Hamid Karzai’s concept of distinguishing between good and bad Taliban, President Ghani said that there was no difference between good and bad terror and called for a unified approach in tackling the problem.
Ghani said India and Afghanistan must be united both in region and globally to tackle terrorism. “We are determined to change regional nature of cooperation, terror cannot be classified into good or bad,” Ghani said. “Shadow of terror haunts our children, women and youth. Terrorism must be confronted and must be overcome. I am determined to make Afghanistan a graveyard of terrorism,” he added.
Ghani invited Modi to visit Kabul and inaugurate the Parliament building, constructed by CPWD, and also visit the Bamiyan Budhha caves that were bombed by the Taliban.