India will continue to support Afghanistan: Salman Khurshid
18 Nov 2013
India is commited to the rebuilding of war-torn Afghanistan and will continue to strongly support its transformation into a stable nation, India's external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said today.
Addressing a conference on "Doing Business with Afghanistan", at FICCI's premises in the capital, the minister suggested increased participation by Indian businessmen in diverse trade areas in the country.
India has the "greatest confidence" in Afghanistan's potential and it will have an "open arm approach" in extending all help and cooperation to that country, Khurshid said at the conference jointly organised by FICCI, the external affairs ministry and the Afghanistan foreign affairs ministry.
"When you suffer, we also suffer with you. When you rejoice, we also rejoice," he said, adding, "We stand by you and promise you our constant support."
"We in India have no exit policy. We are not going anywhere unless you want us to go. As long as you want us to be there, we will be there," the external affairs minister said.
"Indian business sees enormous opportunity in Afghanistan's stability" and looked forward to the future gains of Afghanistan becoming the major stepping stone to connect to Central Asia and beyond into Europe, he said.
Talking about the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project, Khurshid said he was hopeful about it.
Referring to the Chabahar port in Iran, which India is upgrading, Khurshid said it would help in evacuation of minerals mined in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan finance minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal dismissed "doomsday predictions" about Afghanistan's future post the 2014 draw-down by international forces as "totally flawed".
"Afghanistan in 2014 and beyond will be more stable, unified and prosperous," said Zakhilwal, adding, "You can't compare Afghanistan of today with that of 10 years ago." He said the people of Afghanistan would "absolutely not allow" the situation to revert back to what it was 10 years ago when it was under occupation.
He said his country was full of young aspiring people, with many of them educated in India, and eager to move forward.
Zakhilwal said his country was more integrated today and the mobile phone had reached right down to the interiors. Of the 30 million population, 18.5 million had access to mobile phones, while Afghanistan today had 30 national television channels from just one a decade ago.
Zakhilwal said the Afghan security forces, which have taken over, are able to not only maintain security but also "improve upon it". "This has primarily been possible because of the support of the people," he said.
