Afghanistan bets on Indian help

June 06, 2014 11:22 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 06:50 pm IST - NEW DELHI:

Faced with the prospects of a military vacuum as the U.S. draws down troops, Afghanistan is hopeful that India, under the Modi government, will emerge as a major player in filling the gap.

“Even before Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the oath of office, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai had held two telephonic conversations with him, setting the tone for energising an already formidable relationship,” a diplomatic source said.

The appointment of Ajit Doval as National Security Adviser also underpins Afghan hopes. “We are aware of Mr. Doval’s security instincts when it comes to Afghanistan, and these augur well for a robust military relationship,” the source said. From Afghanistan’s perspective, a prominent military dimension will raise the profile of the relationship between the two SAARC countries to the next level.

With the Americans expected to leave behind only 10,000 troops by 2014-end, the Afghan government is looking to bolster its armed forces with big-ticket military hardware from India, including Russian-origin fighter jets and tanks that New Delhi wants to discard eventually.

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