India turns down Afghan arms' plea

[datguy79]

India has turned down Afghanistan's request for supply of lethal weapons, saying it was neither in a position nor willing to contribute lethal weapons right now, days after Afghan President Hamid Karzai raised the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"We are going to help with non-lethal equipment but I don't think we are either in the position to or willing to contribute lethal weapons right now," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said here.

Noting that India already supplies important elements of supporting equipment, transportation, which includes helicopters, the minister said "...we think it is not advisable to go beyond that. It is a fragile area, there are stakeholders, there are other people. We don't want to become part of the problem."

During his recent visit to India, Mr. Karzai had handed a "wish list" to Indian leadership seeking greater military and civilian support in the wake of proposed withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan in 2014.

Mr. Khurshid, in an interview to Straits Times, said there are lots of people who have perceptions about the future of Afghanistan and "if we can help Afghanistan without creating further problems for them, I think that would be a preferred way to do it."

He said, "We are in touch with them constantly, and we are committed and have said very categorically... We are not looking at exit routes for ourselves which means we are there to stay for a long term. We are very comforted by the fact that Afghans have confidence in us. We won't let them down."

India turns down Afghan's arms plea - The Hindu

 

[The Messiah]

Idiotic decision by GoI.

 

[pmaitra]

He said, "We are in touch with them constantly, and we are committed and have said very categorically... We are not looking at exit routes for ourselves which means we are there to stay for a long term. We are very comforted by the fact that Afghans have confidence in us. We won't let them down."

Yet, we just did that!

 

[arnabmit]

Another epic fail by ball less UPA

 

[Yusuf]

Idiotic government of India.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

"We are going to help with non-lethal equipment but I don't think we are either in the position to or willing to contribute lethal weapons right now," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said here.

India offers more aid for Afghanistan - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English

Such aid allows Afghanistan to have resources to buy weapons, perhaps.

 

[sob]

What are the lethal weapons that we manufacture that we can supply to the Afghans. Most of our equipment is Russian or Israeli and we will have to take their permission to supply these equipment.

We can supply Helicopters, some artillery guns ( old ones) and maybe Pinaka might be the most lethal in our arsenal.

But as Bill has pointed out above if we help them with cash and infrastructure projects, the Afghans will have the resources to procure the weapons from Russians or other countires.

 

[Poseidon]

A right decision.
3 years back India signed a deal with Taliban Commanders in Helmand and Kandahar provinces,that's why Indians Consulates,Workers and officials have never been attacked there.

More weapons will not solve Afghanistan's problems.

 

[kaustav2001]

I think GOI took the right decision considering the planned US withdrawal & it's engagement with the Taliban. After the US withdrawal who knows where the weapons would land up. The present day Govt. of Hamid Karzai is in now way capable of holding out on their own & has very little influence outside of Kabul. The US has realized this & is now trying to strike a deal with Taliban .. so once Taliban (& Haqqanis) come in what happens is that our Lethal aid will eventually become lethal for us.

 

[sob]

A right decision.
3 years back India signed a deal with Taliban Commanders in Helmand and Kandahar provinces,that's why Indians Consulates,Workers and officials have never been attacked there.

More weapons will not solve Afghanistan's problems.

Do you have any link for this news. First time I have read about this. Never knew that the Taliban would strike a deal with India over Pakistani interest.

 

[p2prada]

The GoI maneuver makes sense. Like already mentioned by sob we don't have reliable lethal weapons. The article is correct when it says we are not in a position to supply lethal weapons.

However we can fund their military purchases through other sources like Russia.

In 10 years or more we may contemplate selling "lethal" weapons, like Arjun, LCA etc, as and when they are ready. By then their military will have enough experience to induct such weapons systems and employ them in battle.

Today is makes sense for the ANA to field US small arms because of the military aid.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

A right decision.
3 years back India signed a deal with Taliban Commanders in Helmand and Kandahar provinces,that's why Indians Consulates,Workers and officials have never been attacked there.

Only sources for this news seem to originate in Pakistan.

Afghan reality: India may talk to ISI, Taliban | Pakistan Ka Khuda Hafiz

The top levels of the government are debating opening talks with Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Afghan Taliban to ensure India remains relevant in Afghanistan.

CNN-IBN learns the precarious security situation in Afghanistan–highlighted by the terrorist attacks targeting Indians in Kabul on February 26–is prompting a gradual but significant rethink in New Delhi.

Sources confirm that the government is debating opening up a channel of communication with the ISI and engaging sections of the Taliban–an idea India abhorred till now.

India is also considering paring down its presence at reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Projects underway may be wrapped up quickly and there may be even a freeze on undertaking new projects.

These policy options were debated at a meeting of the National Security Council, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired on February 12.

 

[ersakthivel]

UPA has no foreign policy at all. it's an open secret.

All the money India has poured into Afganisthan s developmental assistance will be wasted once taliban gains control over the areas where it is poured.

if we are not ready to take sides , why should we put our money there?

once taliban takes over it won't have to look for India for funds or arms. it has financial power houses like Saudis and other sunni muslim states in gulf.

So if India is not ready to back the northern alliance or the present government in Kabul with arms and aid , then all it's decade long Afgan policy will become wasted efforts.

it will be foolish for GOI to expect taliban to be kind to indian interest over the head of fierce pak resistance and flowing rivers of money from gulf.

Atleast they should have told we will consider it. Outright rejection is such a stupid thing. With this we will lose whatever credibility in Afganistan's govt as a credible player.

 

[Poseidon]

Do you have any link for this news. First time I have read about this. Never knew that the Taliban would strike a deal with India over Pakistani interest.

It's not all black and white.
Just because Taliban leaders are based in Quetta it doesn't mean ISI controls them by remote.

Also I hope you know that media says Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Haqqani's are controlled by ISI but please explain to me then why there are suicide attacks on Pakistan Army bases in HQN/HGB controlled territories with a week or two of drone strikes which kills Haqqani or Bahadur's fighters.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Do you have any link for this news. First time I have read about this. Never knew that the Taliban would strike a deal with India over Pakistani interest.

Only link I could find:

Afghan reality: India may talk to ISI, Taliban | Pakistan Ka Khuda Hafiz

 

[Yusuf]

What are the lethal weapons that we manufacture that we can supply to the Afghans. Most of our equipment is Russian or Israeli and we will have to take their permission to supply these equipment.

We can supply Helicopters, some artillery guns ( old ones) and maybe Pinaka might be the most lethal in our arsenal.

But as Bill has pointed out above if we help them with cash and infrastructure projects, the Afghans will have the resources to procure the weapons from Russians or other countires.

We already give them aid for that. Well that's what we have been doin all the while. Education, infra etc forms the $2billion aid

 

[TrueSpirit]

India has turned down Afghanistan's request for supply of lethal weapons, saying it was neither in a position nor willing to contribute lethal weapons right now, days after Afghan President Hamid Karzai raised the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

So, it is panning out exactly as I predicted..........no surprises in store when it comes to Af-stan. History would only repeat itself.

 

[datguy79]

I think this is a right decision for India...for now. Let's not pretend that India is in any shape to export arms at this juncture in time. India itself is short on artillery guns, rocket launchers, and helicopters. Americans will provide air support till at least 2024 so that is not the utmost concern. There might be (potentially) two new governments in both countries in 2014 so I doubt this policy is final. Let's just hope that Karzai doesn't turn to the Chinese or the Russians. It already feels like we get a new Mi-17 every day.

 

[TrueSpirit]

I think this is a right decision for India...for now. Let's not pretend that India is in any shape to export arms at this juncture in time. India itself is short on artillery guns, rocket launchers, and helicopters. Americans will provide air support till at least 2024 so that is not the utmost concern. There might be (potentially) two new governments in both countries in 2014 so I doubt this policy is final. Let's just hope that Karzai doesn't turn to the Chinese or the Russians. It already feels like we get a new Mi-17 every day.

You are quite good at playing with words (saying nothing but telling enough). Like it.

 

[TrueSpirit]

Only link I could find:

Afghan reality: India may talk to ISI, Taliban | Pakistan Ka Khuda Hafiz

Nothing unprecedented. Just, history repeating itself. Realpolitik @work.