Despite its recent criticism by western detractors, India is a staunch supporter of President Hamid Karzai’s government. It wants Karzai’s hands to be strengthened.
The United Kingdom, the United Nations and the Afghan government are holding a key meeting of all stakeholders in Afghanistan next week in London. India’s external affairs minister SM Krishna will attend.
British high commissioner to India Sir Richard Stagg spoke to reporters at his residence on Friday. Stagg said that he wanted minister Krishna to give a detailed brief about India’s work in Afghanistan, of which very little was known to the rest of the world.
“We must learn from India’s approach to development in Afghanistan,” the envoy said. Though it has no troops deployed in Afghanistan, New Delhi is an important stake holder because its security is linked closely to the elimination of the terror syndicate in that country and Pakistan.
Despite its recent criticism by western detractors, India is a staunch supporter of President Hamid Karzai’s government. It wants Karzai’s hands to be strengthened.
The London conference is an attempt to shore up public support for the unpopular war in Afghanistan and get Karzai to deliver on his promise of good governance for the people of the war-ravaged country.
“This is a critical year for Afghanistan. The tempo of operations will increase, so will the resources. We are not trying to build a colony for ourselves. We are trying to prevent it becoming a crucible once again for attacks against the rest of the world,” David Miliband, Britain’s foreign secretary said recently.
Apart from the main players, China, Iran and Russia have also been invited to the London meet. There will be a session each on security, development and the regional dimension of the Afghanistan issue.
When the Taliban were in control in Kabul, India, Iran and Russia had worked closely together with the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. A similar front with China making up a quartet could one day take shape. But for now, it is too premature.
Though some in this country want an expanded role for New Delhi in Afghanistan, very few in the international community are ready
for it.
This is because Pakistan has said that India has no business to be in its backyard. Training of Afghan personnel is one thing Delhi can easily take on, but Pakistan is there to ensure that no large scale training takes place.
The enemy in Afghanistan, Stagg said, was a diffuse network of insurgent groups with diverse motivations.
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