The Hindu : International / India & World : India's prowess as a donor nation in full view

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 16, 2005

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International - India & World

India's prowess as a donor nation in full view

By Amit Baruah

KABUL, FEB. 15. India's growing clout as a donor nation was in full view as the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, held discussions with the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, the Afghan Foreign Minister, Abdullah Abdullah, and other senior Ministers here today.

India also handed over 49 Tata trucks valued at Rs. 6 crores, to be used as troop carriers by the Afghan National Army, to the Defence Minister, Abdul Rahim Wardak, at a function organised by the American military, as the U.S. is the coordinating nation to train and equip the ANA.

This donation to the ANA is part of a $400 million package of assistance that has been extended to Afghanistan in the wake of the changes in the country's political landscape post-2001.

Regional cooperation

According to Mr. Wardak, India's assistance to the ANA was an excellent example of regional cooperation. "We look forward to greater cooperation with India," he told presspersons as Mr. Singh handed over the keys of the 49 trucks to him. (Another 235 Tata trucks had been provided earlier).

Mr. Singh said India had taken up projects in several sectors — including education, health, public transport and civil aviation. "We would be happy to cooperate further on the rebuilding of Afghanistan's institutions, including the Afghan National Army."

Officials in the External Affairs Minister's delegation told this correspondent that India was keen to provide training to military officers and provide more equipment, but the U.S. was reluctant to let India do this on account of sensitivities related to Pakistan.

Mr. Singh's visit to Kabul almost didn't happen due to heavy snow in Kabul, which led to the closure of the city's airport this morning.

However, after the airport re-opened, the External Affairs Minister's special aircraft was able to land in the Afghan capital.

Economic opportunity

The Foreign Secretary, Shyam Saran, told presspersons that Mr. Karzai informed Mr. Natwar Singh that India should look at Afghanistan as its friend. Mr. Karzai, who will be in New Delhi next week, said that bilateral relations were now back on their "old footing."

Mr. Saran quoted Mr. Karzai as saying that India must look at Afghanistan as an economic opportunity and as a transit point to Central Asia. He also said that India could help Afghanistan with capacity building in various fields.

On his part, Mr. Singh told the Afghan President that India reciprocated his friendly sentiments and was willing to do more to help Afghanistan. Pointing out that Indian goods had to take a long route through Iran to come to Afghanistan, he said that India's support to Kabul would continue.

Mr. Singh, who also dedicated a 100-bed surgical block in Indira Gandhi Child Hospital to the Afghan Government, met the former King Zahir Shah, who has been given the title of Baba-e-Millat or "father of the nation."

During his meeting with Dr. Abdullah, Mr. Singh said construction on the Dilaram-Zaranj road had begun. This link would give direct access to the Iranian port of Chabahar and provide a shorter route for Indian goods to reach Afghanistan.

India, he said, was also willing to construct the Pul-e-Kumri-Kabul section of a power transmission line, which would be of great help to Kabul city that currently goes without power through the day and barely gets supply at night.

The Foreign Secretary described Mr. Natwar Singh's visit to Kabul as "brief, but substantive." In his view, this visit would set the stage for Mr. Karzai's trip next week to New Delhi.

On the issue of defence cooperation, Mr. Saran said a beginning had been made with the hand-over of the trucks. The Foreign Secretary was hopeful that new areas of cooperation would develop between India and Afghanistan.

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