India offered us choppers, Karzai told Gen Petraeus
In an indication that India was prepared to take its role in Afghanistan beyond developmental programs, a leaked US cable released by whistleblower website WikiLeaks has revealed that India was prepared to offer light attack helicopters to the Afghan government months after its embassy in Kabul was targeted by suicide bombers.
It has also been revealed that just a month before Indian Army officers in Kabul were attacked by suicide bombers, the US had asked for a briefing on the Indian training of Afghan security personnel.
The latest revelations indicate that the chopper offer was not taken forward given the "adverse reaction" in Pakistan to any sort of military aid by India to Afghanistan. The leaked cable pertains to a January 2009 conversation between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and General David Petraeus, who was then heading the US Central Command that overlooks all operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"He (Karzai) noted that the Indians were prepared to offer Afghanistan light attack helicopters. A short discussion followed highlighting the adverse reaction in Pakistan to Indian provision of military equipment to Afghanistan," the leaked cable reads.
India manufactures the Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), including armed variants, and has been aggressively marketing them in many markets.
In a separate cable, it has been revealed that a month before three Indian Army officers in Kabul died in an attack by suicide bombers, India agreed to brief the US on its training of Afghan Army personnel after the matter was raised by US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke during a visit to New Delhi.
The leaked cable refers to a conversation between Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Holbrooke where the latter requested for a detailed briefing on the issue.
"Rao readily agreed to Holbrooke's request for a briefing on Indian training for Afghan security personnel, emphasizing that this engagement is completely transparent. She supported her argument by noting that the GOI had previously provided a detailed briefing on this at the US-India Defense Policy Group meetings. 'We have nothing to hide,' she declared," the leaked cable reads.
Pakistan has always been uneasy with any involvement of the Indian establishment with the Afghan security forces. The Indian training team in Kabul, meant to teach English to cadets at the Afghan Army training academy in the city, was the target of the suicide attack on February 26. Two officers of the Army Education Corps and an Army doctor were killed in the attack.
"Holbrooke assured Rao that he is in favour of Indian assistance programs in Afghanistan and is not influenced by what he hears in Islamabad," the leaked cable reads.
The documents reveal that the US did not talk of any expansion of Indian military role on Afghanistan but subtly encouraged India to focus on cooperation in agriculture. "Holbrooke said that on the civilian side, the number one priority is agriculture because it produces the quickest payoff. He noted that investment in mining, power, and other sectors is important but the gestation and payback periods are longer. Besides, he observed, Afghanistan has traditionally been an agricultural export country, with India as its biggest market," it reads.
The cable goes on to say that Rao told Holbrooke about India's plan to establish an agriculture college in the troubled country and enhance training through scholarships to Indian colleges.
In an indication that India was prepared to take its role in Afghanistan beyond developmental programs, a leaked US cable released by whistleblower website WikiLeaks has revealed that India was prepared to offer light attack helicopters to the Afghan government months after its embassy in Kabul was targeted by suicide bombers.
It has also been revealed that just a month before Indian Army officers in Kabul were attacked by suicide bombers, the US had asked for a briefing on the Indian training of Afghan security personnel.
The latest revelations indicate that the chopper offer was not taken forward given the "adverse reaction" in Pakistan to any sort of military aid by India to Afghanistan. The leaked cable pertains to a January 2009 conversation between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and General David Petraeus, who was then heading the US Central Command that overlooks all operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"He (Karzai) noted that the Indians were prepared to offer Afghanistan light attack helicopters. A short discussion followed highlighting the adverse reaction in Pakistan to Indian provision of military equipment to Afghanistan," the leaked cable reads.
India manufactures the Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), including armed variants, and has been aggressively marketing them in many markets.
In a separate cable, it has been revealed that a month before three Indian Army officers in Kabul died in an attack by suicide bombers, India agreed to brief the US on its training of Afghan Army personnel after the matter was raised by US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke during a visit to New Delhi.
The leaked cable refers to a conversation between Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Holbrooke where the latter requested for a detailed briefing on the issue.
"Rao readily agreed to Holbrooke's request for a briefing on Indian training for Afghan security personnel, emphasizing that this engagement is completely transparent. She supported her argument by noting that the GOI had previously provided a detailed briefing on this at the US-India Defense Policy Group meetings. 'We have nothing to hide,' she declared," the leaked cable reads.
Pakistan has always been uneasy with any involvement of the Indian establishment with the Afghan security forces. The Indian training team in Kabul, meant to teach English to cadets at the Afghan Army training academy in the city, was the target of the suicide attack on February 26. Two officers of the Army Education Corps and an Army doctor were killed in the attack.
"Holbrooke assured Rao that he is in favour of Indian assistance programs in Afghanistan and is not influenced by what he hears in Islamabad," the leaked cable reads.
The documents reveal that the US did not talk of any expansion of Indian military role on Afghanistan but subtly encouraged India to focus on cooperation in agriculture. "Holbrooke said that on the civilian side, the number one priority is agriculture because it produces the quickest payoff. He noted that investment in mining, power, and other sectors is important but the gestation and payback periods are longer. Besides, he observed, Afghanistan has traditionally been an agricultural export country, with India as its biggest market," it reads.
The cable goes on to say that Rao told Holbrooke about India's plan to establish an agriculture college in the troubled country and enhance training through scholarships to Indian colleges.
