Afghanistan May Seek Military Assistance From India in Future: Envoy

Afghanistan may in the future seek military assistance from India if required, Farid Mamundzay, the country’s ambassador to India has said.

(Photo: The Quint)

Afghanistan may in the future seek military assistance from India if required, Farid Mamundzay, the country’s ambassador to India has said, amid peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghanistan government as troops from the United States exit the nation.

Amid the withdrawal of the US troops, the Taliban has overrun more than a dozen districts in Jawzjan and the neighbouring Faryab, Balkh, and Sari Pul provinces over the past two months.

The ambassador termed the current situation in Afghanistan "very dire" and "very problematic".

Speaking to NDTV, Mamundzay said that while this aid would not be in the form of troops from India, the nation could seek other forms of assistance, for instance, pilot training.

At the moment, however, there is no such request from Afghanistan to India, he said, speaking to The Indian Express, adding that they have enough military assistance as of now, with the US and the NATO forces.

Mamundzay also said that Delhi should send "strong messages" to the Taliban that if they gave up violence and their ties with "regional terrorist groups", India would still offer support to Afghanistan politically and diplomatically, reported The Indian Express.

What is Happening in Afghanistan?

Almost twenty years after the US' invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 to overthrow the Taliban from power in the country, the US is now looking to withdraw the American troops from the South Asian nation by the end of August.

Representatives of the Afghanistan government and Taliban are engaged in negotiations over the militant organisation's increasing control over the country.

However, the dialogue has been largely unsuccessful, with the Taliban seeking complete military dominance over the country, as per reports.

The escalating conflict situation in the country has resulted in the deaths of as many as 4,000 people, as well as the internal displacement of over 2 lakh citizens of the country. Almost one-third of the country is actively involved in the fighting.

"We were under the assumption that Taliban would take the peace process seriously and they would negotiate a lasting and dignified peace with the Afghan government, yet they chose the path of violence."

Farid Mamundzay, Afghanistan's Ambassador to India, told NDTV

How the Afghanistan-Taliban Conflict Affects India

India has invested in several developmental projects in the South Asian country, such as the construction of roads, dams, and schools. India has committed about USD 3 billion towards development-related undertakings in the 34 provinces of Afghanistan.

These projects would be "at risk" if the conflict situation in Afghanistan heightens any further, Mamundzay indicated to The Indian Express.

The Indian government had also evacuated Indian personnel from the country's consulate in Afghanistan's Kandahar on 10 July.

Mamundzay, referring to this operation, noted that the Delhi had made this decision to avoid any potential catastrophe, based on the Afghan government's evaluation of the security issue in Kandahar.

(With inputs from NDTV and The Indian Express.)