Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, May 27: India was and will continue to be an essential stakeholder in Afghanistan, said National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, at the fourth Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
“Special relationships with the people of Afghanistan built over centuries will guide India’s approach. Nothing can change this,” said NSA Doval.
“There is a need for all present at the dialogue to enhance the capability of Afghanistan to counter-terrorism and terrorist groups which pose a threat to regional peace and security,” he added.
While speaking to his counterparts from Tajikistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, and China, the Indian diplomat made the remark.
National Security Adviser Mr. Ajit Doval participating in the 4th Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan being held in Dushanbe@MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/Z3y5PeZOyU
— India in Tajikistan (@IndEmbDushanbe) May 27, 2022
On Thursday, Dushanbe hosted a two-day security dialogue on Afghanistan. Pakistan is reported to have been unable to attend because the National Security Advisor is yet to be appointed following the formation of a new government led by Shehbaz Sharif.
NSA Doval also utilised the occasion to emphasise how, throughout the years, India has prioritised infrastructure, connectivity, and humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. Following the Taliban’s takeover, India has already sent 17000 metric tonnes of wheat out of a total promise of 50,000 MT, 5,00,000 doses of Covaxin, 13 tonnes of crucial life-saving medications and winter clothes, and 60 million polio vaccinations.
This meeting was a follow-up to the 3rd Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan, which took place in November 2021 in New Delhi.
