Ashraf Ghani knocks on India's door

[IBSA]

Afghan Leader Knocks On India's Door After Pakistan Disappointment

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has tried striking up a new relationship with neighboring Pakistan by resisting reliance on its archival India.

But after Islamabad failed to deliver to the negotiating table leaders of the Afghan Taliban who are believed to be hiding in Pakistan, Ghani is in now in India to renew Kabul's alliance with New Delhi.

Ghani's first official visit to India, which began on April 27, came almost seven months after he took office in late September.

Observers say the warmth that India enjoyed with the administration of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been missing in the relations between Ghani's administration and New Delhi.

Aditi Malhotra, a Germany-based Indian security expert, says Ghani's policy of appeasing Pakistan, particularly its powerful army, has not helped in improving the security situation in Afghanistan but has only strained relations between Kabul and New Delhi.

"Ghani has been cozying up to the Pakistan Army with the hope it will be able to have a genuine chance at achieving success with [negotiating peace with] the Taliban," Malhotra told RFE/RL's Gandhara website. "Only earning 'empty promises' from Pakistan has brought in a realization that cozying up to Pakistan at the cost of straining relations with India will not be beneficial in the long term."

Malhotra says terrorist attacks in Afghanistan have not decreased. She added that the attack in Jalalabad on April 18, which killed 35 people and injured 100 more, awakened Afghanistan to the urgency of dealing with the terrorist threat.

Ahmad Rashid, a prominent Pakistani journalist, agrees. He says Ghani is under enormous domestic pressure to either get concrete help from the Pakistani Army and the country's premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), on holding meaningful peace talks with the Taliban or to change his approach toward Pakistan.

"He [Ghani] told the Americans quite frankly during his trip to Washington [in March] that he can only continue this policy of good will and friendship perhaps for another couple of months," Rashid said. "Beyond that, I will not be able to do it. Because I will have to turn it around; otherwise people will topple me."

Some Afghans argue that Ghani should let the Indian leadership know that he is for an enduring partnership between Kabul and New Delhi.

"It is imperative that, during this important visit, Ghani convince the Indian leadership that ameliorating relations with Pakistan will never undermine New Delhi's unique and historic role in Afghanistan," wrote Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for former President Karzai. "His message must be clear: India will remain Afghanistan's historic and strategic partner."

New Delhi has provided more than $2 billion in aid for projects related to institution-building, roads, power generation, agriculture and education in Afghanistan since 2001.

Kabul says Ghani's three-day trip to India is focused on improving bilateral relations and Indian assistance to Afghanistan.

Afghan presidential spokesman Ajmal Obaid Abidy says the administration wants to balance relations with India and Pakistan in a way that prevents Afghanistan from being used as battleground for proxy wars between the country's South Asian neighbors.

Abidy added that the Afghan president would also try to attract more Indian investors to Afghanistan.

Aditi says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration is expected to extend assistance to Afghanistan.

"India and Afghanistan have enjoyed a long history of partnership, and Ghani's testing waters in Pakistan will not impede its relations with New Delhi in the long term," she said.

Afghan Leader Knocks On India's Door After Pakistan Disappointment

 

[SADAKHUSH]

So it means the we are back to square on where as many of us were thinking peace will be established for long term. Let us see what he can extract from GOI and give back to India. It does not look good for China either and the silk route they are dreaming about.

 

[pmaitra]

Realpolitik and a long border with Pakistan does restrict what Afghanistan can do. India should give Afghanistan the space it needs to see who is more beneficial to Afghanistan. Looks like Ghani got that space and has seen the light.

 

[DingDong]

India should not be generous, this flip-flop must have a cost, a cost which India must be ready to extract from Afghanistan. May be a big mining contract and more Indian consulates in Afghanistan will act as sweetener?

 

[blueblood]

Realpolitik and a long border with Pakistan does restrict what Afghanistan can do. India should give Afghanistan the space it needs to see who is more beneficial to Afghanistan. Looks like Ghani got that space and has seen the light.

It has been mentioned that Abdullah Abdullah is very pro India but Ghani wanted to give Pak a chance. So it is imperative that Ghani learn his lesson and the realization that Pak will always have "strategic depth" mindset will dawn on Ghani sooner than later. India should calmly wait for that moment.

 

[Samar Rathi]

Too much of a hoax and yellow journalism i would say. I will wait for which MOU to be signed if any.

 

[Kshatriya87]

Knocks on India's door? For what? Any deals made? Contracts signed? Nothing. Lets not get our hopes up just now.

 

[Rashna]

Taliban attack forces Afghanistan president to delay India trip

NEW DELHI: A Taliban attack in Kunduz province in Afghanistan which left more than 30 people dead forced Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to postpone his first visit to India by a few hours. It was a reminder to Ghani and to India that his primary task remained countering the Taliban, whose supporters in Pakistan don't look kindly at the India-Afghanistan relationship. In fact, what has comforted Pakistan in the past few months has been the apparent coolness with which Ghani has approached the India relationship, a far cry from the evident warmth displayed by his predecessor, Hamid Karzai.

Notwithstanding this, the realities of the depth of the India-Afghanistan relationship will be on full display over the next couple of days. India has been remarkably understanding of Ghani's imperatives that prompted him to visit Beijing before he showed up in New Delhi. Ghani also rejected the Indian offer for defence equipment, though India will be belatedly sending over three helicopters to Afghanistan to coincide with the visit.

Ghani will meet the entire Indian leadership, including captains of Indian industry as well as deliver a speech at the Indian Council for World Affairs.

India remains the top favourite among Afghans, in a way that cannot be replicated by Pakistan or China. Over the past decade, India has built deep ties with the state as well as with the people. During the visit, Ghani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will decide on a couple of things - first, the future direction of the bilateral relationship, what kind of presence India would have in the country and how far Ghani wants Indian involvement. Ghani would want a deep Indian presence to offset both Pakistan and China. He believes he needs Pakistan now to counter the Taliban. Indian strategists believe he will realize the reality of Pakistan support to the Taliban and how appeasing Pakistan could be counter-productive.

Taliban attack forces Afghanistan president to delay India trip - The Times of India

 

[Free Karma]

Taliban attack forces Afghanistan president to delay India trip

Taliban attack forces Afghanistan president to delay India trip - The Times of India

Taken care of by AF security forces now

[tweet]592943287755001856[/tweet]


Anyway pics from the MEA account

 

[salute]

whatever indian govt. do,

don't give any more visa to these fc***ing trouble making idiots,

india is not dharmshala.

 

[Samar Rathi]

whatever indian govt. do,

don't give any more visa to these fc***ing trouble making idiots,

india is not dharmshala.

How the hell they make trouble and why so disrespectful language ?

 

[SANITY]

whatever indian govt. do,

don't give any more visa to these fc***ing trouble making idiots,

india is not dharmshala.

Do you ever speak/think positively? Do away with this and do away with that, what do you want?

 

[hit&run]

Who wrote this crap with such a stupid title.

From the very start I found this man balanced and realist. Later I found out that he has a great resume and is a decorated academician.

I never found his engagement with Pakistan offensive or counter productive to India. Most of the nonsense full of usual exaggerations were coming from Pakistan who are deprived of good news for last decade and are scared of being isolated.

I rather mentioned at one of the thread here at DFI that it is Pakistan who has blinked first after his proactive engagements when PA COAS ran to Afghanistan like a headless chicken following Peshawar school attack.

As long as there are sane leaders in Afghanistan and seasoned Politicians who can engage with other regional players in constructive independent manner; India's major concern of Pakistan accessing strategic depth (Geographical depth, using Afghan human resources to attack our missions, train terrorists etc.) will remain a distant dream for Pakistan. Pakistan will be reduced to random tactical advantages which will be nothing but pin pricks and we be able endure and recover those in no time.

Pakistanis floated many theories to their gullible masses including one that they helped Ghani win elections. Non of their lies had conviction of the reality as present dispensation share power with other stake holders including Abdul Rashid Dostum and Sarwar Danish of previous Karzai government now both serving Vice Presidents.

As one Afghan put it to me: "India has a relationship with both the Afghan state and the Afghan nation." It is rare in international affairs for countries to have this combination of ties, and it is a position of strength that has taken Indian officials over a decade to achieve.

Reach out to Ghani - TOI Blogs

Right on money article.

 

[Srinivas_K]

India will walk shoulder to shoulder with people of Afghanistan, says Modi

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday said his country, which was yet to emerge from shadows of terrorism, was fighting a battle against terror and extremism on behalf of its partners and was looking forward to an economically integrated Asia, where peace between States prevailed. He wanted India and Afghanistan to make SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) an economic reality.

Mr. Ghani was making at a joint statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the end of talks between them here.

Both said they were inclined to take forward the trade, economic, security and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

Mr. Modi said India would walk shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in a "mission of global importance."

Though not many agreements were signed, the two countries listed out several areas of cooperation and how they intended to forge ties to fight terrorism and pave the way for a stronger SAARC.

Mr. Modi said Afghanistan's direct surface link to India and the rest of South Asia, and increased connectivity to sea, could turn it into a hub that connected Asia's diverse regions and beyond.

"The relationship between India and Afghanistan is not just between two countries or governments. It is a timeless link of human hearts. Fourteen years ago, we started a new chapter in our relationship, in a new era for Afghanistan, under the leadership of President Karzai. The partnership has blossomed despite barriers of geography and hurdles of politics. We will continue this journey in partnership with President Ghani and his National Unity Government with Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah," Mr. Modi said.

The Prime Minister asserted that India's help would not be limited to the period of transition or the decade of transformation.It was an enduring commitment. India had a shared interest in the success of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process, which should be conducted within the framework of the Constitution of Afghanistan, without the shadow of violence.

"We share Afghanistan's pain over persisting terrorism and extremist violence that destroy lives and derail progress. We are deeply grateful to the Afghan security forces, who protect our people in Afghanistan as they would their own." he said.

Referring to talks on surface transport networks between the two countries, Mr. Modi said, "we are ready to welcome Afghan trucks at the ICP Attari. We are also prepared to join the successor agreement to Afghan Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement. This will re-establish one of the oldest trading routes of South Asia. I also reaffirm my commitment to take the Chahbahar Port project in Iran forward. We will also quickly conclude a bilateral Motor Vehicles Agreement."

India would also expand development partnership, which includes infrastructure, agriculture, connectivity, human resource development, community projects, he noted.

Mr. Ghani thanked India for extending US$ 2 billion development aid to Afghanistan, He said the two nations should stand united, both in the region, and globally to continue this phenomenon. "We require your moral support and your understanding for our quest. Afghanistan is a roundabout, where goods, people flow, and now it wants countries to return, with pipelines, railways and fibre optics," he observed.

On Afghanistan's commitment to fight terrorism, he said shadow of terror haunted the children, women and youth, and terror must be confronted and overcome. "We are determined to change regional nature of cooperation. Terror cannot be classified into good or bad," he pointed out.

Mr. Ghani expressed the hope that Mr Modi would visit Kabul not only to inaugurate the new Parliament building, which is being constructed by India, but also visit the Bamiyan Valley.

President Ghani said his generation of 1950s grew up on Indian texts and people, and Abul Kalam Azad and Mahatma Gandhi were not just names, but legends.

He thanked Rabindranath Tagore for his "Kabuliwala", which gave Afghanistan a bigger brand image than it could have ever paid for.

India will walk shoulder to shoulder with people of Afghanistan, says Modi - The Hindu

 

[Srinivas_K]

Tagore's 'Kabuliwala' has given us a brand: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani

Rabindranath Tagore's famous short story "Kabuliwala" has contributed more to brand Afghanistan which it could not do with billions of dollars, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said today while fondly remembering the late Nobel laureate.
Ghani, who arrived here yesterday, identified terror as a major challenge facing the region and said his government was determined to make Afghanistan the "graveyard of terror".
He was full of praise for Indian democracy as he talked about Tagore and the cultural links between the two countries.
In "Kabuliwala", Tagore depicts the story of an Afghan travelling to India with the intention to earn some money in order to pay debts and to save his home in Afghanistan.
"May I take a moment to thank Rabindranath Tagore. 'Kabuliwala' has done more to give us a brand which we could not buy with a billion dollars of advertisements.
"I am delighted that the old version is being watched and a new version is being prepared that will give you a much more authentic sitting inside Afghanistan," Ghani said while speaking at a joint briefing along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House.
He fondly remembered the works of Tagore and said that he was taught about the famous author during his childhood by his grandmother.
"I speak of Tagore because I was raised on Tagore by my grandmother who lived in Dehradun"¦," Ghani said while talking about India's vision and the remarkable transformation.
"But India's impact on others is not been as much understood."
Ghani also spoke about Abul Kalam Azad, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and talked highly about Indian democracy.
"Abul Kalam Azad, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were not names but ideas people leaders. I would like to pay tribute to Indian democracy, to the discourse of rule of law, to the discourse of equality, to the discourse to the engagement in transformation," he said.

Tagore’s ‘Kabuliwala’ has given us a brand: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani | The Indian Express

 

[Hari Sud]

Mr. Ghani has to clarify his Pakistna policy first. Does he not know that it is Pakistan which is the root cause of all troubles in Afghanistan for the last sixty years.

 

[SANITY]

Does he not know that it is Pakistan which is the root cause of all troubles in Afghanistan for the last sixty years.

So what do you want him to do? Declare war against Pakistan?

What and why does he need to make a statement on Pakistan? So that those reckless Bakistani behave more recklessly to cause more trouble for them?

 

[Hari Sud]

Stay on the course set by the previous president.

 

[IBSA]

Take Tajikistan, but give Afghanistan to India: Ghani's proposal to Pakistan can change the narrative in South Asia

Here is a bit of hard news that sums up the tone and tenor of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's just-concluded India visit (27-29 April) and what concrete deliverables came India's way. The Ghani administration has bluntly told Pakistan that Afghanistan can help Pakistan get access to Tajikistan if Pakistan helps India to access Afghanistan.

This is huge! Ghani himself conveyed this to his Indian interlocutors during his formal talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

This alone shows how greatly successful Ghani's India visit has been though he has come to India after China, Pakistan, the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Ghani's India visit has to be gauged from only one perspective: its strategic component and the delivery or the lack of it on this point.

Ghani's "Take Tajikistan from us but give Afghanistan to India" approach with Pakistan in terms of access is bone dry diplomacy and hits the nail on the head without any ado or prologues or prevarications.

When he took over as the new president of Afghanistan in September last from Hamid Karzai, the veteran former president of 14 years, Ghani was looked upon with suspicion and the biggest concern in the Indian strategic establishment was how well disposed he would be for India. But the latest Tajikistan twist to the India-Pakistan Afghanistan triangle tale has left none in doubt about his administration's intentions for India.

The idea is this: it is all about connectivity. Ghani's India visit too was deeply focused on connectivity, just as the India-Pakistan-Afghanistan triangle is all about connectivity.

What Pakistan needs to understand is that it cannot aspire for northern connectivity and hope to get Afghanistan's help in getting access to Tajikistan without making important concessions on its southern connectivity and allowing India access to Afghanistan.

India has been urging Pakistan to allow transit rights for transporting Indian goods to Afghanistan but Pakistan has consistently blocked Indian efforts as it just cannot tolerate the very thought of India and Afghanistan coming together.

Prime Minister Modi himself dropped a hint of connectivity being the top most theme in his talks with President Ghani when he remarked thus in his media statement with Ghani by his side: "We are ready to welcome Afghan trucks at the ICP (Indian check post) Attari."

Now consider PM Modi's expanded remark to get a clearer picture: "President Ghani shared his impressive vision for Afghanistan's prosperity, based on its talent, resources and location. We believe that Afghanistan's direct surface link to India and the rest of South Asia, and increased connectivity to sea, could turn Afghanistan into a hub that connects Asia's diverse regions and beyond.

"We are ready to welcome Afghan trucks at the ICP Attari. We are also prepared to join the successor agreement to Afghan Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement. This will re-establish one of the oldest trading routes of South Asia. I also reaffirmed my commitment to take the Chahbahar Port project in Iran forward. We will also quickly conclude a bilateral Motor Vehicles Agreement," he said.

"We will expand our development partnership, which includes infrastructure, agriculture, connectivity, human resource development, community projects and humanitarian assistance. We will explore new trade and investment opportunities."

Pakistan is dead serious about reaching out to Tajikistan which it cannot do without the help of Afghanistan. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan have almost finalised draft of a landmark trilateral transit agreement among the three countries, hitherto known by different names. Afghanistan is calling it APTTTA or Afghanistan-Pakistan-Tajikistan Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement while Pakistan called it APTTTTA when it sent in January this year its final draft proposal to Afghan and Tajik governments and sought their views.

It remains to be seen if Pakistan will be ready to give southern connectivity to gain northern connectivity. The "Take Tajikistan but give Afghanistan" has changed the narrative in the South Asian context. But it is definitely a giant leap forward in India-Afghanistan bilateral relations.

Take Tajikistan, but give Afghanistan to India: Ghani's proposal to Pakistan can change the narrative in South Asia - Firstpost

 

[pmaitra]

Afghanistan might actually help bring about some kind of normalcy in Indo-Pak relations. the business community in Pakistan has always wanted stronger trade links with India and Afghanistan, but the military establishment has always been suspicious about India as well as Afghanistan, as either could potentially claim territory under Pakistani control.