NSA Doval visits Kabul, focus on Taliban and terrorism

Bound by shared strategic interests, India and Afghanistan have decided to enhance their counter terror cooperation and agreed to coordinate closely on the Afghan peace process. India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Afghanistan early this week and discussed range of issues, including security cooperation with his Afghan counterpart. “The Afghan security forces are the righteous pillars of Afghanistan’s stability and are fighting in the front lines against the regional and global terrorism. Afghanistan and India, in joint efforts with NATO and the United States, will be able to succeed in the fight against terrorism,” said a statement, quoting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. In talks with his interlocutors, Mr Doval highlighted various facets of India’s cooperation with Afghanistan and reiterated that  no part of Afghanistan should be used to perpetrate violence particularly by Pakistan backed terror groups. He also expressed concerns about the activities of international terror groups proclaiming that these could mar efforts for long lasting peace in the region.The visit came at a time when the troubled Afghan peace process between the government and the Taliban is delicately poised, especially in the wake of a sharp surge in violent attacks blamed on the militant group. A growing number of civilians in influential positions and human rights activists have been assassinated across Afghanistan in recent weeks, and Kabul and other major cities have been witnessing almost daily bomb attacks.India has consistently backed an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace process and said that the gains made in the war-torn country in the past two decades must be preserved. New Delhi has also said any solution in Kabul must ensure that Afghan territory isn’t used for terrorism directed against India. India continues to be the largest regional contributor to Afghan reconstruction  and is supportive of the peace process in the war-torn country. (Palak Chhabra contributed inputs for the article)