Kabul and New Delhi, taking stock of the evolving security situation in the region, have agreed on deeper defense links, Indian media outlets reported on Saturday.
The agreement came at a meeting between Afghan National Security Adviser (NSA) Hamdullah Mohib and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval met in New Delhi on Friday.
After the meeting, Mohib tweeted: “Held productive meetings in India with my counterpart NSA Ajit Doval and other security officials on regional stability, democratic progress and ongoing peace efforts in Afghanistan…”
Bilateral security cooperation also came up for discussion, wrote the NSA, who was officially invited to India by Doval.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said Mohib briefed the Indian side on the security situation, holding of parliamentary elections, the presidential vote and Kabul’s efforts for peace and reconciliation.
Doval reiterated that India would continue to support all efforts for peace and reconciliation that are Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled.
US representative for Afghanistan peace talks Zalmay Khalilzad is scheduled to visit Delhi next week for talks on India’s role and efforts in Afghanistan in partnership with the Trump administration.
“Be it military supplies or the leadership role that India should take up in the region, Afghanistan has a wish list of what it wants India to do and help with,” reported India Today.
Mohib was quoted as saying that Kabul should be able to ensure self-reliance in terms of security if the US troops pulled out of Afghanistan.
“The news leak of US troop withdrawal has in a way favored Afghanistan. They (Afghans) are beginning to wake up to the fact that this bloated economy and aid will come to an end and so it is time to be self-dependent,” a source told the daily.
India promised continued support for efforts by the government and people of Afghanistan to bring peace, security and prosperity to that country.
Doval said regional and international partners of Afghanistan needed to work in line with priorities, wishes and desires of the Afghan people.
India welcomed Afghanistan’s faith in democratic governance and hoped the forthcoming presidential elections would further deepen the roots of democracy in the war-hit country.
Mohib invited Doval to visit Afghanistan. The invitation was accepted but dates will be firmed up through diplomatic channels.
