sorcerer
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5.2: INDIA
The Indian government continues to support GIRoA, believing a secure and stable Afghanistan will benefit the region and facilitate economic corridors into Central Asia. India and Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership decl aration in 2011, which formalized cooperation on governance, economics, commerce, education, public administration, and security and law enforcement. Subsequent engagements are reinforcing the positive relationship between Afghanistan and India.
India supports a variety of high-visibility projects and initiatives in Afghanistan. These ventures are focused primarily on major infrastructure projects, including electricity generation and transmission, road construction, and mining. India has shown increased interest in Afghan security assistance, though activities in this area remain limited. India currently offers India-based training to ANSF personnel across a number of specialties, and the Indian government committed to expand this program. India does not provide direct military support or training in Afghanistan.
In May of this reporting period, the Indian consulate in Herat Province was attacked by a group of four heavily armed militants.The attack came three days prior
to the swearing in of the new Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Modi is perceived as being close to Hindu nationalist groups, a fact that
may have played into the timing of the attack. In June, the U.S. Department of State announced that the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba was responsible for
the attack. Following the attack, former Afghan President Karzai denounced the attack and made strong statements supporting relations with India.
5.1: PAKISTAN
The United States continues to seek a constructive relationship with Pakistan that advances both U.S. and Pakistani interests. Pakistan's relationship with the United States remains constructive, and both nations continue to acknowledge the imporance of maintaining bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual concern and engaging on areas of divergence. Taliban attacks in Afghanistan launched from sanctuaries in Pakistan remain a serious problem. Th ese sanctuaries exist primarily in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Baluchistan.
Pakistan and the United States cooperate on ar eas of mutual interest s, including providingessential support to U.S. retrograde operations from Afghanistan. In addition, Pakistan continues to cooperate with the United States on some CT activities. Pakistan's military made gains against the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and foreign fighters in the FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during a major military operation. Afghan- and Indian-focused militants continue to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of Afghan and regional stability.
Pakistanuses these proxy forces to hedge against the loss of influence in Afghanistan and to counter India's superior military. These relationships run counter to Pakistan's public commitment to support Afghan-led reconciliation. Such groups continue to act as the primary irritant in Afghan-Pakistan bilateral relations.
Pakistan's government has sough t to increase engagement with Afghanistan. However,suspicion has surrounded the relationship between Kabul and Islamabad, inhibiting bilateral cooperation on border security protocols. It is possible that the new Afghan President, Dr.Ghani, will seek to change this dynamic, which Pakistan is likely to welcome. Although stabilityin Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan, Pakistan also seeks suffici ent Pashtun representation in the Afghan government to prevent Pashtun discontent along the Afghan-Pakistan border and limit India's influence. Pakistan made so me progress on interdicting and disrupting the production of IED components, but still falls short despite greater engagement and recent cooperation. A significant portion of the materials, which perpetuate the conflict, continue to emanate from or transit through Pakistan. Cross-border incidents and lingering mistrust remain points of tension in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Both countries continue to question each other's commitment to advancing a political settlement in Afghanistan.
The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan continues to pose a significant challenge to the stability of the region. During this reporting period, there have been several border incidentsthat have heightened tensions, to include; artillery shelling, Pakistani construction of trenches,the arrest of Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan, and increased rhetoric from national leaders onboth sides. Pakistan also hosts one of the larg est refugee communities in the world, estimated at several million Afghans, who are blamed for strains on the local economy and security threats.
Despite these setbacks, ISAF will continue to support the development of a constructive military-to-military relationship and provide venues for the two sides to come together with the intent of improving the poor state of their relations. However, convincing both sides to cooperate on a range of security issues will take a concerted and sustained effort by the internationalcommunity
Source:http://www.defense.gov/pubs/Oct2014_Report_Final.pdf
The Indian government continues to support GIRoA, believing a secure and stable Afghanistan will benefit the region and facilitate economic corridors into Central Asia. India and Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership decl aration in 2011, which formalized cooperation on governance, economics, commerce, education, public administration, and security and law enforcement. Subsequent engagements are reinforcing the positive relationship between Afghanistan and India.
India supports a variety of high-visibility projects and initiatives in Afghanistan. These ventures are focused primarily on major infrastructure projects, including electricity generation and transmission, road construction, and mining. India has shown increased interest in Afghan security assistance, though activities in this area remain limited. India currently offers India-based training to ANSF personnel across a number of specialties, and the Indian government committed to expand this program. India does not provide direct military support or training in Afghanistan.
In May of this reporting period, the Indian consulate in Herat Province was attacked by a group of four heavily armed militants.The attack came three days prior
to the swearing in of the new Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Modi is perceived as being close to Hindu nationalist groups, a fact that
may have played into the timing of the attack. In June, the U.S. Department of State announced that the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba was responsible for
the attack. Following the attack, former Afghan President Karzai denounced the attack and made strong statements supporting relations with India.
5.1: PAKISTAN
The United States continues to seek a constructive relationship with Pakistan that advances both U.S. and Pakistani interests. Pakistan's relationship with the United States remains constructive, and both nations continue to acknowledge the imporance of maintaining bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual concern and engaging on areas of divergence. Taliban attacks in Afghanistan launched from sanctuaries in Pakistan remain a serious problem. Th ese sanctuaries exist primarily in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Baluchistan.
Pakistan and the United States cooperate on ar eas of mutual interest s, including providingessential support to U.S. retrograde operations from Afghanistan. In addition, Pakistan continues to cooperate with the United States on some CT activities. Pakistan's military made gains against the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and foreign fighters in the FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during a major military operation. Afghan- and Indian-focused militants continue to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of Afghan and regional stability.
Pakistanuses these proxy forces to hedge against the loss of influence in Afghanistan and to counter India's superior military. These relationships run counter to Pakistan's public commitment to support Afghan-led reconciliation. Such groups continue to act as the primary irritant in Afghan-Pakistan bilateral relations.
Pakistan's government has sough t to increase engagement with Afghanistan. However,suspicion has surrounded the relationship between Kabul and Islamabad, inhibiting bilateral cooperation on border security protocols. It is possible that the new Afghan President, Dr.Ghani, will seek to change this dynamic, which Pakistan is likely to welcome. Although stabilityin Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan, Pakistan also seeks suffici ent Pashtun representation in the Afghan government to prevent Pashtun discontent along the Afghan-Pakistan border and limit India's influence. Pakistan made so me progress on interdicting and disrupting the production of IED components, but still falls short despite greater engagement and recent cooperation. A significant portion of the materials, which perpetuate the conflict, continue to emanate from or transit through Pakistan. Cross-border incidents and lingering mistrust remain points of tension in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Both countries continue to question each other's commitment to advancing a political settlement in Afghanistan.
The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan continues to pose a significant challenge to the stability of the region. During this reporting period, there have been several border incidentsthat have heightened tensions, to include; artillery shelling, Pakistani construction of trenches,the arrest of Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan, and increased rhetoric from national leaders onboth sides. Pakistan also hosts one of the larg est refugee communities in the world, estimated at several million Afghans, who are blamed for strains on the local economy and security threats.
Despite these setbacks, ISAF will continue to support the development of a constructive military-to-military relationship and provide venues for the two sides to come together with the intent of improving the poor state of their relations. However, convincing both sides to cooperate on a range of security issues will take a concerted and sustained effort by the internationalcommunity
Source:http://www.defense.gov/pubs/Oct2014_Report_Final.pdf
