Ghani may seek more military assistance from India

Afghanistan may seek additional military assistance from India in battling a relentless Taliban insurgency, a New Delhi-based newspaper reported on Wednesday.

President Ashraf Ghani is expected to present Prime Minister Narendra Modi a wish list at their meeting on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference in the Amritsar city of Punjab state next week.

As the strategic partnership between the two nations is gradually deepens, India recently supplied the fourth attack helicopter to Afghanistan. Some agreements will also be signed on business and economic ties.

The Economic Times quoted Afghan Ambassador Shaida Abdali as saying the Amritsar event would provide an opportunity for the two allies to expand their strategic and economic partnership.

The Amritsar meeting offered an opportunity to frame a strategy for dealing with countering security challenges and ushering in regional prosperity, believed the diplomat, who opined: “This is very much achievable”.

Ghani will hold official talks with Modi for the second time this year. “The two sides are firming up some agreements to be signed at the Modi-Ghani talks… This includes pacts on quality control for goods and air cargo zone for bilateral trade.”