Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


         President Karzai to Discuss Enhancing Defense Ties with India

   by Anjana Pasricha

   Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in India seeking to enhance defense
   ties with New Delhi. Afghanistan is looking for more military aid as it
   prepares for a withdrawal of NATO forces by next year.
   Speaking at ceremony during which he was given an honorary degree
   Monday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed his appreciation for
   the $2 billion aid that India has extended toward rebuilding his
   country.
   But, as he heads into talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
   Tuesday evening, he is likely to press India to expand that aid to
   include military assistance.  Aides to President Karzai say he wants
   India to help strengthen Afghan security forces and meet military
   shortages.
   Development assistance
   Before the Afghan leader's arrival, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman
   Syed Akbaruddin indicated that although New Delhi's assistance to
   Afghanistan is focused mainly on development projects, the government
   might consider other types of aid. Without elaborating, he says that
   "within our own modest means as a developing country," India will
   respond to specific requests of the Afghan government.
   "While we are striving to realize this vision of an economically viable
   Afghanistan... we do realize and we have no illusions that we can
   ignore the political and security issues that stand in the way of
   realizing that vision," said Akbaruddin.
   No immediate agreements are likely to be reached. Indian Foreign
   Ministry officials say all such issues would be best discussed through
   a strategic partnership agreement, which the two countries signed in
   2011.
   Last week, the Afghan ambassador in New Delhi told reporters his
   country would like both lethal and non-lethal military equipment.
   India has been involved in Afghanistan's reconstruction, including
   building roads and hospitals, and laying power transmission lines. But,
   so far, their military cooperation has been restricted to training a
   limited number of Afghan forces at India's military institutions. New
   Delhi provides virtually no weapons to the Afghan army.
   Strengthening defense ties
   Afghanistan is looking for more military assistance as its forces
   prepares to take over security operations from foreign troops by the
   end of next year.
   However, any strengthening of defense ties between India and
   Afghanistan may be viewed by Pakistan as part of an Indian strategy to
   encircle it from both sides.
   The Indian and Afghan leaders are also likely to discuss a spike in
   tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, following clashes along
   their disputed border earlier this month. Analysts say the incident has
   prompted Afghanistan to focus on strengthening its border defenses.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/president-karzai-to-discuss-enhancing
   -defense-ties-with-india/1665101.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/president-karzai-to-discuss-enhancing-defense-ties-with-india/1665101.html