India heavily Involved in Afghanistan

[glomex]

A report in a major American newspaper Wednesday shows the extent to which India is involved in the post-Taliban Afghanistan. In a dispatch from Kabul, The Wall Street Journal said India has become a “major donor and new friend” to the Afghan government, stirring concerns in neighbouring Pakistan.
It said New Delhi has pledged $ 1.2 billion in aid to Afghanistan, making India the fifth largest donor nation to the country after the United States, Britain, Japan and Canada. Pakistan does not rank in the top 10, the paper asserted.

Afghanistan is now the second-largest recipient of Indian aid after Bhutan.

From wells and toilets to power plants and satellite transmitters, India is seeding Afghanistan with a vast array of projects, correspondent Peter Wonacott wrote. The $1.2 billion in pledged assistance includes projects both vital to Afghanistan’s economy, such as a completed road link to Iran’s border, and the construction of a new parliament building in Kabul. “The Indian government is also paying to bring scores of bureaucrats to India, as it cultivates a new generation of Afghan officialdom,” the dispatch said.

Despite backing the Taliban in the past, Pakistan doesn’t want to see an anarchic Afghanistan, the paper said, citing Pakistani security analysts.

“Pakistan is doing nothing to thwart the elections in Afghanistan and everything to help Afghanistan stabilize and have a truly representative government,” Gen. Jehangir Karamat, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the U.S. and a retired army chief, was quoted as saying.

“We recognize that Afghanistan needs development assistance from every possible source to address the daunting challenges it is facing. We have no issue with that,” Pakistan foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit was quoted as saying.

“What Pakistan is looking for is strict adherence to the principle of noninterference,” he added.

India’s aid has extended well beyond physical infrastructure to the training of accountants and economists, the Wall street Journal said.

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - India heavily involved in Afghanistan: WSJ

 

[glomex]

India Befriends Afghanistan, Irking Pakistan


KABUL -- After shunning Afghanistan during the Taliban regime, India has become a major donor and new friend to the country's democratic government -- even if its growing presence here riles archrival Pakistan.

From wells and toilets to power plants and satellite transmitters, India is seeding Afghanistan with a vast array of projects. The $1.2 billion in pledged assistance includes projects both vital to Afghanistan's economy, such as a completed road link to Iran's border, and symbolic of its democratic aspirations, such as the construction of a new parliament building in Kabul. The Indian government is also paying to bring scores of bureaucrats to India, as it cultivates a new generation of Afghan officialdom.

India's aid has elevated it to Afghanistan's top tier of donors. In terms of pledged donations through 2013, India now ranks fifth behind the U.S., U.K., Japan and Canada, according to the Afghanistan government. Pakistan doesn't rank in the top 10.

Afghanistan is now the second-largest recipient of Indian aid after Bhutan. "We are here for the same reason the U.S. and others are here -- to see a stable, democratic, multiethnic Afghanistan," Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Jayant Prasad said in an interview.

Such a future for Afghanistan is hardly assured, as the run-up to Thursday's presidential election shows. On Tuesday, a pair of mortar shells hit near the presidential palace in Kabul while Taliban insurgents attacked polling stations across the country, as part of wave of violence aimed at preventing people from casting ballots in the election.

Despite backing the Taliban in the past, Pakistan doesn't want to see an anarchic Afghanistan, say Pakistani security analysts.

"Pakistan is doing nothing to thwart the elections in Afghanistan and everything to help Afghanistan stabilize and have a truly representative government," says Gen. Jehangir Karamat, Pakistan's former ambassador to the U.S. and a retired army chief.

Yet India's largess has stirred concern in Pakistan, a country situated between Afghanistan and India that has seen its influence in Afghanistan wane following the collapse of the Taliban regime. At the heart of the tensions is the shared fear that Afghanistan could be used by one to destabilize the other.

"We recognize that Afghanistan needs development assistance from every possible source to address the daunting challenges it is facing. We have no issue with that," says Pakistani foreign-ministry spokesman Abdul Basit. "What Pakistan is looking for is strict adherence to the principle of noninterference."

India is seeding Afghanistan with a vast array of projects such as a completed road link to Iran's border and the construction of a new parliament building in Kabul. A view of the city, above.
The two countries have sparred repeatedly about each other's activities in Afghanistan. Indian officials say their Pakistani counterparts have claimed that there are more than the official four Indian consulates in Afghanistan, and that they support an extensive Indian spy network. For years, Pakistan refused to allow overland shipment of fortified wheat biscuits from India to feed two million Afghan schoolchildren. India instead had to ship the biscuits through Iran, driving up costs for the program.

The World Food Program, which administers the shipments, said the Pakistan government gave its approval for overland shipment in 2008 -- six years after the first delivery from India. "Why did it take six years ... is something that WFP cannot answer," a spokesman for the aid organization said. "However, we are indeed thankful to the government of Pakistan for allowing transit for the fortified biscuits."

Mr. Basit, the foreign-ministry spokesman, didn't respond to a question about the Indian food assistance.

India's aid has extended well beyond physical infrastructure to the training of accountants and economists. For a nation devastated by decades of war, these soft skills fill a hole, says Noorullah Delawari, Afghanistan's former central-bank governor and now head of Afghanistan Investment Support Agency, an organization that promotes private enterprise. "The country shut down for 20 years," he said. "We stopped producing educated people to run our businesses and government offices."

Some believe there is room for cooperation between India and Pakistan in Afghanistan since both countries share an abiding interest in its stability. "The opportunity is there," says Gen. Karamat, "if we can get out of the straitjacket of the past."

India's Afghan Aid Irks Pakistan - WSJ.com

 

[paritosh]

These contributions to the development of a country in need would make any Indian proud!

 

[Spring Onion]

These contributions to the development of a country in need would make any Indian proud!

Spending for own strategic goals nothing to do with helping Afghans.

 

[glomex]

Spending for own strategic goals nothing to do with helping Afghans.

India may be fulfilling whatever goals by spending in Afghanistan...but the real beneficiaries are Afghan People....they are getting their Kids educated ......farmers are getting good education to pick and chose good quality seeds .....roads are being built for comfortable travel....

By the way who is stopping other people from spending for strategic gains....

 

[Spring Onion]

India may be fulfilling whatever goals by spending in Afghanistan...but the real beneficiaries are Afghan People....they are getting their Kids educated ......farmers are getting good education to pick and chose good quality seeds .....roads are being built for comfortable travel....

By the way who is stopping other people from spending for strategic gains....

then why dont you first benefit your own people

 

[TsAr]

Spending for own strategic goals nothing to do with helping Afghans.

I agree with the above.....

 

[arihant]

then why don't you first benefit your own people

Ask USA why they don't benefit their civilian while Depression is going on. Why China helping you.

India wants to increase trade with Afghanistan and Iran, so India building roads. It will benefit India in terms of speed and will be beneficial for Afghanistan in terms of Infrastructure.

Also, Want to add that It helps in making common relations with People of each other.

 

[glomex]

Old news but good news....

Afghanistan, India to set up partnership council

NEW DELHI: India and Afghanistan have decided to establish a new dialogue architecture to further improve bilateral ties and bring renewed focus to rebuilding and restoration of the war-ravaged country.

At a meeting between External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Afghan counterpart, Rangin Dadfar Spanta, late on Tuesday, the two sides agreed to set up an India-Afghanistan Partnership Council that will consist of seven groups.

The intention behind initiating official-level dialogue in the seven areas — political consultation, capacity development and education, power and water, culture, trade and industry, health and agriculture — is to “harness greater institutional support” for implementing ongoing programmes and expand development, cooperation between the two countries, said a joint statement issued after the interaction between the Ministers.

The dialogue will cover most of the areas where India is assisting Afghanistan. With about 4,000 Indians in Afghanistan, India is building several key roads, helping Kabul build its new parliament building, train Afghan police officers, diplomats and civil servants and provide support in health, education, transportation, power and telecommunications.

The resolve to set up new avenues for talks takes forward the high-level interaction between the two sides earlier this year, a few months after the Mumbai attacks, during which the focus was on terrorism. This time too, both sides highlighted terrorism as the most important security threat facing the region and reiterated their resolve to combat it. The Afghanistan Foreign Minister called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and met National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan to discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest. With a few weeks left before Afghanistan votes, Dr. Singh expressed India’s support for building a democratic and pluralistic nation.

The Hindu : National : Afghanistan, India to set up partnership council

 

[garibnawaz]

There is a joke about Afghan Milli buses (Afghan Milli = Afghan Public Transport)

India donated a huge number of Tata and Ashok Leyland buses to Afghanistan for use of Public transport.

Afghan authorities painted the Kabul Milli logos on the buses.

Where as Pakistan hardly donated 10 buses (HINO Buses) and painted Afghan-Pak friendship all over it.

Now the afghan's are confused on where to paint the actual Afghan Milli logos?

Indians didn't had to paint anything since Afghan's were smart enough to understand that if the bus is TATA or Ashok Leyland, it is donated by India.

With Pakistan it was not the case. Since buses were HINO they had to paint them hard in order to impress Afghans.

This was quite a joke in local Dari and Pashtu languages and was broadcasted repeatedly on Afghan Radio.

Attached are the Afghan Milli bus photos taken exclusively by my cozin while he was in Afghanistan.

Not sure what strategic goals are achieved by providing TATA and Ashok Leyland buses.

GB

 

[ANDUBYLL]

Seems like both buses have seen better days ! Better than walking though !

 

[garibnawaz]

Seems like both buses have seen better days ! Better than walking though !

It depends on your road infrastructure and maintainance of those buses.

If you come to Mumbai anytime see the performance of these buses under the BEST (Public road transport in Mumbai).

 

[humblehobbes]

then why dont you first benefit your own people

off topic.. But Pakistan was better off using the ammunition against TTP Taliban instead of providing it to Srilanka. Why did it help SL in the war against the Tamil Tigers?? Any specific reasons? Why dint you ask your government about this! Why are you harping at anything that India does?

Case in point
http://www.defence.pk/forums/genera...-help-nigeria-build-solid-defence-sector.html

 

[garibnawaz]

off topic.. But Pakistan was better off using the ammunition against TTP Taliban instead of providing it to Srilanka.

Especially when she herself stronglt advocate that TTP is nothing but a creation of India.

TTP hurts Pakistan badly than Sri-Lanka.

Good Question.

GB

 

[TsAr]

Let India built roads in Afghanistan.....but how come are they going to do trade without bypassing Pakistan .........My Indian frnds please dont deny the fact that India is not just helping Afghanistan for the sake of helping them...they have there national interests in mind......I always say in International politics there are no frnds at all.....China helps us because it is also in there favor.....same way India is helping afghanistan but also establishing training camps there....