Day after Trump's jibe at Modi, Afghan government thanks India's assistance

Afghanistan's National Security Advisor (NSA) Hamdullah Mohib on Friday met India's NSA Ajit Doval at Hyderabad House in which both sides had a detailed exchange of views about the recent developments in Afghanistan. 

NSA Mohib appreciated assistance provided by India for economic development and reconstruction of Afghanistan and also for human resource development, including training of Afghan national defence and security forces in India. 

This comes just a day after US president Donald Trump mocked Prime Minister Modi and India's aid to Afghanistan and said, “I could give you an example where I get along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi. But he is constantly telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan. Library! We are supposed to say, oh thank you for the library. Don’t know who’s using it (the library) in Afghanistan."

Mohib briefed the Indian side about the security situation, the holding of Parliamentary elections, scheduled presidential elections and efforts of the Afghanistan government towards peace and reconciliation. 

In a tweet, Hamdullah Mohib said: "Held productive meetings in India with my counterpart NSA Ajit Doval and other security officials on regional stability, the democratic progress and ongoing peace efforts in Afghanistan and bilateral security cooperation."

NSA Doval conveyed India's continued support to Afghanistan in its efforts to bring peace, security and prosperity in the country. He reiterated New Delhi's stand on the Afghan peace process that it should be "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled. "

According to a release by the ministry of external affairs, India called on regional and international partners of Afghanistan "to work keeping in mind the priorities, wishes and desire of the Afghan people."

The release added that "India welcomes the fact that the people of Afghanistan have time and again reposed faith in democratic governance and the forthcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan will further deepen the roots of democracy in Afghanistan."

The NSA meet happens when the situation in Afghanistan is rapidly evolving with Russia, Iran, Pakistan and US all engaged in talks with Taliban, though the Afghan government is not pleased with talks involving the terror group. 

The US media has been reporting that US may withdraw 7,000 troops from Afghanistan though it has not been confirmed by the Pentagon. Top Indian government sources last week told WION that New Delhi is "closely watching" recent development in Afghanistan regarding the peace initiatives and does not find any reason to be concerned about changes in US policy on Afghanistan.

Last year India participated in the Moscow talks on Afghanistan in which the Taliban also took part. India participated at non-official level sending 2 former diplomats-- Amar Sinha, India's former envoy to Afghanistan & TCA Raghavan at the non-official level at the Moscow talks.

Mohib is the first high-level member of the Afghan government to visit India.

The Afghan NSA has invited NSA Doval to visit Afghanistan and the invitation has been accepted.

Next week former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and United State's special representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad will visit India for Raisina Dialogue. This will the first official visit by Zalmay to India in his capacity as the special representative of US for Afghanistan and he will be meeting Indian leadership.