Some people can not digest the goodwill India has generated in Afghanistan over the last few years
"Our Good Friend and Cousin": India in Afghanistan
With more than US$2 billion pledged since 2001, India is today the by far largest regional donor in Afghanistan and the fifth largest in the world. India has refused to contribute troops in Afghanistan, and has instead taken a soft approach focusing on aid and development.
Delhi has funded four major infrastructure projects in Afghanistan: already completed are the Delaram-Zaranj highway, which links Iran to the Garland ring road highway that connects most major Afghan cities; and a 442 km power line connecting Kabul to Uzbekistan, which has given the capital 24-hour electricity supply for the first time in years. Still pending are the Kabul parliament building, and the rebuilding of the Salma Dam in Herat province, which will provide electricity and irrigation in western Afghanistan.
Beyond the large infrastructure projects, Indias investment in Afghanistan also extends to food aid, rural development projects and healthcare. Thousands of Afghan students have been given scholarships to study in India. India is also one of Afghanistans major trading partners, and the flow of goods has been strengthened by a Preferential Trade Agreement signed in 2003. In April this year, the two governments announced a framework agreement on Indian investment in Afghanistans ore industry, and Indian companies have been given the mining rights to the Hajigak iron ore deposits, estimated to hold 1.8 billion tonnes of ore. Afghanistans largely untapped mineral wealth is thought to be worth some US$3 trillion, and is often talked of as key to ensuring the countrys economy. On a recent visit to Delhi, Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul expressed hope that the ore agreements showed that Indian involvement in Afghanistan was shifting from aid to investment.
From talking to ordinary Afghans around the country, it becomes clear that Delhis soft power approach has generated much goodwill.
India consistently ranks highest in opinion polls of countries Afghans have the best perception of, while Pakistan usually takes the bottom place. It is also difficult to miss the influence of Indian culture in the country - Bollywood movies are popular in cinema halls and on the black market, while the TVs in the Kabul Airport lounge show Indian soap operas on repeat.
"Our Good Friend and Cousin": India in Afghanistan / ISN