India grants US$ 450 million for Afghanistan
INDIA: Undeterred by the July 7 attack on its mission in Kabul, India
yesterday announced fresh assistance of $450 million for the
reconstruction of violence-torn Afghanistan as the two countries vowed
to fight the menace of terrorism jointly.
“It was an attack on the friendship between India and Afghanistan. We
will fight it unitedly and with determination,” Prime Minister Manmohan
Sigh said after holding wide-ranging talks with Afghan President Hamid
Karzai here.
“India has an abiding commitment to Afghanistan’s efforts to build a
democratic, stable, prosperous and pluralistic polity. We will fulfil
all our commitments to Afghanistan,” Manmohan Singh said while
announcing an additional development aid of $450 million for rebuilding
the violence-ravaged country.
The fresh aid has taken India’s total contribution to reconstruction
of Afghanistan to $1.2 billion, making New Delhi one of the largest
donors to that country. Calling for a joint fight against the menace of
terrorism, Karzai thanked India and the Indian people profusely for this
assistance at “a very critical juncture in the history of Afghanistan.”
“India has proved to be a valuable ally and is in the forefront of
rebuilding Afghanistan,” Karzai said while alluding to a wide range of
activities ranging from building roads and schools to constructing dams,
power transmission lines and the Parliament building in which nearly
3,000 Indian workers are involved in his country.
Together, India and Afghanistan are facing the challenge of terrorism
and cold-blooded, brutal and murderous activities in their territory,
Karzai said.
“The two countries and the world at large have no option but to fight
the menace of terrorism. Afghanistan stands resolutely with our allies
in the war against terrorism,” the India-educated Karzai said while
calling the task of eliminating terrorism “a moral responsibility” of
all concerned countries in the region and the world.
Both leaders attended the 15th SAARC Summit which concluded in
Colombo on Sunday. |
