India will never abandon the people of afghanistan says nsa doval at moscow meet

India will never abandon the people of afghanistan says nsa doval at moscow meet

India reiterated its call for an “inclusive and representative” government in Afghanistan on Wednesday, with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval declaring that the people of Afghanistan were among India’s “foremost priorities”.

He was speaking at the ‘5th Regional Dialogue on Afghanistan’ being held in Moscow. Addressing the delegates, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow was in contact with the Taliban rulers in Kabul, adding that large economic projects are under way in Afghanistan that could “stabilise the situation in the economy”.

In his remarks, Mr. Doval highlighted India’s “historical and special relationship” with Afghanistan and said that the “well-being and humanitarian needs of the people of Afghanistan” would “continue to guide” India’s policy towards Kabul.

He highlighted the heightened threat of terrorism because of the presence of terror groups such as Daesh, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in the Af-Pak region and sought security cooperation between the member states in the dialogue.

He emphasised that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism and that the natural resources of Afghanistan should be utilised “first for the welfare of Afghanistan”.

India has not recognised the Taliban administration in Kabul. However, a technical team stationed at the Indian embassy in the Afghan capital has been overseeing the humanitarian assistance that India has been providing over the past year. Mr. Doval’s presentation stated that “an inclusive and representative dispensation is in the larger interest of Afghan society”.

His remarks came days after India’s Union Budget presentation, which allocated ₹200 crore for the development and humanitarian needs of the Afghan people.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Doval’s counterparts from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The third round of the dialogue had been held in Delhi under the chairmanship of Mr. Doval in November 2021.