But Afghan President Ghani wants to break this dependence by bolstering ties with India, where he is on a two-day visit. The disussions carried on over a working lunch at Hyderabad House. The arrival of the train speeds up commerce between the two countries cutting down the time taken to transfer goods from China to Afghanistan from three to six months to two weeks, the report said.
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The President Ashraf Ghani during his visit to New Delhi on Wednesday got such a good news from Indian counterparts.
India’s development assistance, will focus on capacity building in the social sector as well as clean energy projects of hydel-power and solar energy.
Afghanistan’s reconstruction has received a shot in the arm with India pledging $1 billion towards development work there. “Exchange of agreements on MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty), Extradition & peaceful uses of outer space follows talks”, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. India has offered to supply 1.75 lakh tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan. “It can also be a market for Indian products, therefore, I believe India wants a stable Afghanistan”, he underlined. These will help to transport medicine. Stating that Afghanistan had invested over Dollars 30 million in its airports, Ghani proposed formation of a joint cargo company with India.
Modi and Ghani expressed their resolve to counter terrorism and strengthen security and defence cooperation as envisaged in the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement.
While India is yet to communicate to Afghanistan when it would hand over the fourth Mi-25, Afghanistan has already requested India for additional Cheetal as well as Mi-24/25 helicopters, but the IAF has expressed its inability to spare anymore fixed wing platforms from its inventory due to its own operational requirements. Clearly the government does not want to spell it all out at the moment. During a visit in April of past year, he received a cold reception. India also trains hundreds of Afghan soldiers each year in its military academy.
Against this backdrop, Afghans are increasingly concerned about the severe impact the geopolitical struggle involving Afghanistan, Pakistan and India is having on their lives and security.
The leaders also agreed that the Strategic Partnership Council headed by foreign ministers of both the countries should meet more often.
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For decades, Afghanistan has been relying economically and militarily on neighboring Pakistan. And what surprised all was his reference to Pakistan as a “twin brother”. He also spoke of Afghan fruits that can be made affordable for middle class and low-income Indian households. Disillusionment with Pakistan and the Taliban’s reluctance to come for talks has changed the situation on the ground. Pakistan, on the other hand, wants a friendly government in Kabul on which it can fall back in case of hostilities with India.
