Washington, Sep 23 (Inditop.com) External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna has dismissed suggestions that India’s growing involvement in Afghanistan is intended to encircle Pakistan, a fear prevalent in some circles in Islamabad.
“I think that is a baseless allegation,” he said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, adding: “India’s role in Afghanistan is to help them to stabilise on their
infrastructure development.”
“That’s our immediate concern. That is the reason why we were asked to come to Afghanistan. We are building roads, we are building school buildings and we are building transmission lines,” the minister pointed out.
India is heavily investing in Afghanistan, particularly in infrastructure projects such as roads, hospitals, schools and the new parliament building in Kabul. Indian reconstruction aid totals $1.2 billion. Krishna said the investment was worth the risk despite the continued conflict.
India, he said, believes there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that NATO combat operations should give way to a political settlement with the Taliban.
“India doesn’t believe that war can solve any problem and that applies to Afghanistan also,” Krishna said. “I think there could be a political settlement. I think we should strive towards that.”
Krishna’s remarks come as the Pentagon has told its top commanders in Afghanistan to delay submitting a request for as many as 40,000 more troops as the Obama administration reassesses its strategy to fight a revived Taliban insurgency.
“India is an optimistic nation. We believe a solution can be found. If India can work happily with Great Britain after they having ruled us for so long, it only shows that we can play the game. We can be partners in development,” the minister maintained.
“If there are internal differences within Afghanistan I think the people of Afghanistan, the leaders of Afghanistan, will sort it out by themselves,” Krishna said.
“Afghanistan as a nation has to grow. They have come through a process of holding elections. I think giving democracy a try, they have succeeded. I think we should support them,” he said downplaying suggestions of election fraud.
“You in the United States in Florida were counting, we cannot forget that. It happens in every election, it is questioned,” Krishna said.
