US puts seal on India’s key role in rebuilding Afghanistan

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Indrani Bagchi TNN

New Delhi: India built the Zaranj-Delaram road connecting Afghanistan to Iran in 2008. Four years later, India is being courted to replicate the successful project to connect Afghanistan to its other Central Asian neighbours like Turkmenistan, Tajikistan etc.
Two years after being relegated to the sidelines, India is clawing her way back to relevance. As the US prepares to draw down in Afghanistan, India is emerging as Afghanistan’s key ally.
The tide turned decisively with the first trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, India and US in New York last week. Jawed Ludin, Afghanistan’s deputy foreign minister, led the proceedings. For the first time, Indian, US and Afghan officials sat together to discuss Afghanistan’s future.
The meetings, held at the Afghan mission in New York, were under the radar and didn’t attract the attention of Pakistan, which is wary of the trilateral arrangement.
In a statement, Ludin said the trilateral “marks the beginning of a series of consultations among our three governments... who have pledged to work together on common challenges and opportunities including combating terrorism and violent extremism... increasing regional trade, investment and integration.”
Indian and United States officials agree that continuing to help Afghanistan’s economic development is a top priority. The first area, where all three would be working together, would be in mineral resources — an Indian consortium secured the Hajigak mines’ exploration, and Indian firms are looking at getting more mineral rights. Equally, India would be looking for US’ technical help in these ventures.
The second sector will be in connectivity — all three nations are investing in creating roads and rail networks to embed Afghanistan in the regional trade and transit networks.