Kabul waits for Dr Singh’s gift pack of development

Afghanistan will look for a response during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit. The PM, on his part, is expected to announce a $50 million assistance package, launch a small developmental projects initiative, significantly enhance scholarships for Afghan students coming to India, adopt close to 100 villages for integrated rural development and place India’s faith in the Karzai government by agreeing to cooperate for the first time on developing tourism in Afghanistan.

On security cooperation, sources say at this stage India is looking at maintaining high-level exchanges and the two countries have agreed on twice-a-year interaction between National Security Advisors. Further interaction on intelligence sharing and other security issues are being discussed at various levels.

India has already expressed its readiness to provide any assistance in collaboration with the Afghan government and international partners to speed up the rebuilding of the Afghanistan National Army and its police force. In India’s view, while US-led coalition forces and the NATO-led international force may still be required, indigenous Afghan security structures must be in place at the earliest.

The PM is expected to reassure Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai of India’s commitments in dealing with the threats being posed by former Taliban members and Hizb-e-Islami (Hekmatyar faction), who are receiving cross-border assistance from Pakistan. The Prime Minister will also make an addition of $50 million to the $500 million aid already committed. India is the sixth largest donor to Afghanistan.