India averse to give 'lethal' weapons to Afghanistan

[FOX80]

India is willing to supply only "non-lethal" military hardware like helicopters, trucks and jeeps to Afghanistan as of now despite President Hamid Karzai's wish list that includes heavy weaponry like artillery guns, tanks and mortars as well. But there are no full-stops as far as training of Afghan military personnel is concerned.

Indian Army alone is executing plans to train as many as 1,050 Afghan National Army (ANA) in its different establishments in 2013-14, double the 574 personnel trained in 2012-13, even as the US-led coalition forces prepare to withdraw from the strategically-located country by next year.

But India is drawing the red-line at the supply of "lethal" weapons like the T-72 tanks or 105mm artillery guns to the ANA — due to fears they could fall into wrong hands like the Taliban — but has left it to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to take the final call on the matter. India and Russia, however, are joining hands to run a maintenance and spares facility near Kabul for the Soviet-era tanks, helicopters and other weapon systems of ANA.

The training outreach has also been cranked up. As many as 52 Afghan "gentlemen cadets (GCs)", for instance, will be commissioned as officers during the passing out parade at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun on Saturday with defence minister A K Antony and Army chief General Bikram Singh in attendance.

"Moreover, there are also 48 Afghan GCs each in the first and second terms in IMA at present. There are also 20 Afghan cadets in the Officers' Training Academy, and another 18 at National Defence Academy. India-trained personnel in the ANA will be a big asset in the post-2014 era," said an officer.

India is also currently hosting 16 former ANA officers who were trained in the country during 1974-1982 before the bloody conflict between the then Soviet Army and Mujahideens in Afghanistan derailed the programme.

"Most of these officers went on to achieve high ranks in Army, government and civilian jobs. Of the 16 attending the functions at IMA, Musa Khan Akbarzada and Mehrabulddin Safi are the governors of the Ghazni and Kapisa provinces. Another, Lt-Gen Khaliq Khan, is director-general chief of staff in ANA," said the officer.

From training in counter-terrorism operations, military field-craft and signals to intelligence, counter-IED, information technology and battle-field nursing assistance, India is running regular programmes for ANA personnel. Around 100 ANA personnel, including 10 officers, for instance, have just undergone a course at the specialised counter-insurgency and jungle warfare school at Vairengte in Mizoram.