Drug menace, terrorism and trade: Deputy NSA highlights India’s support to Afghanistan at Bishkek meeting

Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri on Friday highlighted that India has legitimate security interests in Afghanistan and is committed to establishing peace and stability with its policy.

“India has been consistent and firm in its policy in support of peace, security and stability in Afghanistan. As a close neighbour, India has legitimate economic and security interests in Afghanistan. Relations with the Afghan people go back centuries and are historical and civilizational,” Misri said.

India also said its immediate priorities are to provide humanitarian assistance and fight terrorism and drug trafficking in the conflict-affected region.

“On terrorism, our collective approach is expressed in UNSCR 2593. Afghan territory should not be used to harbor, train, plan, or finance terrorist acts; In particular, terrorist individuals proscribed by the UN Security Council, including those associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed,” he said.

Misri further said that India truly supports the formation of an inclusive and representative government as well as the protection of the rights of women, children and minorities.

Specifically, India is involved in 500 projects spread across each of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan in the critical sectors of power, water supply, road connectivity, health care, education, agriculture and capacity building.

Regarding India’s efforts in Afghanistan, Misri emphasized that India has so far invested more than US$3 billion in the welfare of the people of Afghanistan.

“India has so far supplied around 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 250 tonnes of medical aid and 28 tonnes of earthquake relief aid. In view of the urgent appeal of the United Nations. India also supplied 40,000 liters of malathion,” Mishri said at the interaction.

On India’s trade partnership with Afghanistan, Misri said tariff concessions are being provided to Afghan traders under SAFTA and a ‘humanitarian air corridor’ has been created between Delhi and Kabul.

The remarks were made at the sixth regional dialogue of Security Council Secretaries/National Security Advisors on Afghanistan, which was held in Bishkek on Friday.

The Secretaries/NSAs of Iran, India, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, Turkmenistan and Pakistan participated in the talks.