Indian FM to visit Afghanistan on defense talks

KABUL: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Afghanistan on Wednesday to enhance defense and security ties and review key projects being implemented by India, as the country is expecting an election outcome next week.
In her first visit to the country as External Affairs Minister, Swaraj will hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on number of crucial bilateral and regional issues which may include enhancing defense and security assistance from India.
Afghanistan has been pressing India for supplying military hardware as countdown for withdrawal of Nato forces nears. Karzai has already given a “wish-list” to India.
Asked whether Indian government will review policy towards Afghanistan, Swaraj said there was no question of any change in it and asserted that India will continue to help the country in its reconstruction.
Resolving to continue India’s engagement in Afghanistan, Swaraj said India will extend cooperation to whoever becomes the President of the country.
“We had not declared anybody to be our favorite in the election. Be it Abdullah Abdullah or Ashraf Ghani, we will work with whoever becomes the President. “In Afghanistan, our people are working, risking their lives. We have an age old relationship with Afghanistan and no shortcomings will come in the way,” she said.
India has invested $2 billion in aid and reconstruction and trained scores of Afghan officers, but has so far stopped short of arms transfers for fear of provoking Pakistan as well as armed groups in Afghanistan.
The issue of Afghanistan refusing to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the US is also likely to figure in talks between Swaraj and Karzai. Karzai has refused to ink the proposed Afghan-US security pact demanding that the US must put an immediate end to military raids on Afghan homes and demonstrate its commitment to peace talks before he would sign the agreement.
One of India’s important infrastructure projects in Southwestern Afghanistan is the highway from Zaranj to Delaram which is considered a symbol of India’s commitment to reconstruction of the country. India is also constructing the Afghan Parliament building.

Afghanistantimes

Tags: Afghanistan, FM, Indian, visit

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