News Story: India rules out deploying troops in Afghanistan

NEW DELHI, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- India on Tuesday ruled out deploying troops in Afghanistan but reiterated its participation in the war-torn country's development activities.

Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made the country's stance on Afghanistan clear to her visiting U.S. counterpart James Mattis during the delegation-level talks in the national capital.

"There shall not be any (Indian) boots on the ground in Afghanistan," Sitharaman told the media after the talks with Mattis.

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News Story: Abbasi’s Remarks On Afghan-Indian Ties ‘Foolish’

By Massoud Ansar

A number of senators on Sunday sharply criticized Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for his remarks on Afghan-Indian relations and such his utterances were in fact an interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. 

Head of the senate Fazlulhadi Muslimyar labeled the remarks ‘foolish’ and said Pakistan politicians do not have independence and they are the loud-speakers of Pakistan’s military. 

Abbasi last week said at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York city that Islamabad did not have any problems with New Delhi’s financial support to Afghanistan, but that it would never condone India’s political or military role in Afghanistan.

“We denounce Pakistan's Prime Minister’s remarks. Along with the condemnation, I must say it is very rude and foolish,” said Muslimyar.

“Pakistan Prime Minister has no logic, he may suffer nervous or mental problems,” senator Nisar Haris said.

A number of senators said Afghanistan is an independent country and can have relations with any country in the world. 

Read the full story at TOLOnews

News Story: Pakistani’s Abbasi Opposed To Any Role For India In Afghanistan

Addressing an event in New York, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Islamabad is not in favor of any military or political role for India in Afghanistan, AP reported.      

"India, we don't foresee any military or political or military role for India in Afghanistan,” Abbasi said. 

“I think it will just complicate the situation and it will not resolve anything. So if they want to do economic assistance, that's their prerogative. But we don't accept or see any role politically or militarily for India in Afghanistan."

He said Pakistan has received no foreign aid in the fight against "terror".

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News Report: India Reinforces Massive Assistance to Afghanistan’s Fight Against Terror

India’s increased assistance to Afghanistan comes close on the heels of Donald Trump’s “new Afghan strategy” to tackle “terrorist havens” in Pakistan.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India has announced a slew of assistance for better equipping Afghanistan in fighting terrorists along with new developmental assistance in the form of 116 high-impact community development projects to be implemented in 31 provinces of the war-torn country.

The assistance is in addition to those that are already being provided by India to the war-torn country. An agreement to this effect was reached during a meeting of the 2nd India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council in New Delhi. Sushma Swaraj, India's Minister of External Affairs reaffirmed that for India, strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an ‘article of faith'.

"It was agreed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries. India agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering," joint statement issued after the meeting reads.

News Report: India to Provide More Assistance to Afghan Defense Forces

Anjana Pasricha

NEW DELHI — India will provide more assistance to Afghan defense forces and implement new development projects in the war-torn country.

The announcement came at the first high-level meeting held between the two countries after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a new Afghan strategy in which he called on India to step up its role in Afghanistan.

A joint statement issued at the end of a day-long conference between the Afghan and Indian foreign ministers Monday in New Delhi said they have agreed to strengthen security cooperation, and India will extend assistance for the Afghan forces to fight terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering.

Afghanistan has long pressed for greater Indian assistance in defense supplies and capacity building as it struggles to fight Taliban insurgents who have taken swathes of territory.

News Story: India, Afghanistan agree to bolster security cooperation

NEW DELHI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- India and Afghanistan Monday inked four pacts and agreed to strengthen security cooperation as Foreign Ministers of both countries held extensive talks at the second Indo-Afghan Strategic Partnership Council meeting here.

The four pacts, signed in presence of Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, included a motor vehicles agreement and a fresh document on India's development assistance.

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News Story: Terrorist Activities In Afghanistan A Threat To India - Envoy

By Mir Aqa Popalzai

Hinting indirectly at Pakistan, the Indian ambassador in Kabul, Manpreet Vohra, said some countries in the region have damaged all peace efforts and are following destructive policies.

“Sadly, in our immediate neighborhood, there are some who deliberately sabotage all attempts for peace and greater regional cooperation and connectivity,” he said. “India hopes that better sense will prevail on them one day and their self-destructive policies will change.”  

Marking the 70th Independence Day of India at the Indian Embassy in Kabul, the ambassador said New Delhi will stand beside Afghans in the fight against terrorism.

“We champion Afghanistan’s cause and stand with it shoulder to shoulder as it faces serious challenges and strives to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous nation,” he stated. 

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News Report: US Senate Delegation Visits Pakistan’s Waziristan Region Near Afghan Border

Ayaz Gul

ISLAMABAD — A U.S. congressional delegation has visited a troubled region of Pakistan and called on both Islamabad and Washington to continue working closely to combat regional terrorism and to promote peace and stability in neighboring Afghanistan. The delegation, led by Senator John McCain, includes fellow senators Lindsey Graham, Elizabeth Warren, David Perdue and Sheldon Whitehouse. The visit comes as the Trump administration is expected to unveil a new Afghan strategy later this month.

The five-member bipartisan delegation Monday was flown by Pakistan's military to the semi-autonomous South Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan. South Waziristan and the neighboring North Waziristan district - part of what is known as the Federally Administered Tribal Area or FATA - have for years harbored local and foreign militants blamed for terrorist attacks in Pakistan and across the border in Afghanistan. The lawmakers' trip comes as Islamabad faces allegations that sanctuaries in Pakistan are giving Taliban-linked groups a venue to plot attacks in Afghanistan.

News Story: Pakistan Opens Illegal Trade Crossing Into Afghanistan - MoCI

By Zabihullah Jahanmal

The Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MoCI) on Wednesday said Pakistan has been trying to open illegal transit routes with Afghanistan in an attempt to boost its declining trade with the country.

According to MoCI, the opening of a new crossing by Pakistan along the Durand Line into Koram Agency is an attempt to pave the way for illegal trade between the two countries.

But the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said Pakistan is trying to retain trade volume on the local market by opening an illegal trade route.    

This comes two days after President Ashraf Ghani said at the official inauguration of the new air cargo route between Afghanistan and India that people who create problems for Afghanistan should know that the people take these issues and turn them into opportunities.

Ghani said not only will this new import/export route increase the income of farmers and traders in Afghanistan but it will create more employment opportunities, decrease poverty and deepen Afghanistan-India relations.

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News Report: Ex-Pakistan Taliban Spokesman Claims India, Afghanistan Targeting Pakistan

Ayaz Gul

ISLAMABAD — A central leader and ex-spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, Ehsanullah Ehsan, has alleged Afghan security forces and their intelligence agency, NDS, together with the Indian spy agency are supporting cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistan.

The militant leader in a video confessional statement released by the Pakistan Army, said he was also participating in anti-state activities from sanctuaries on the Afghan side of the border and surrendered himself "voluntarily" to Pakistan army.

There was no immediate reaction from the Afghan government and Indian officials to the allegation leveled by Ehsan against them, though both Kabul and New Delhi have previously denied Islamabad's allegations of funding terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil.

When Pakistani security forces unleashed counter-militancy operations in the border region of North Waziristan (in June, 2014), Ehsan said militants fled to neighboring Afghanistan where they established contacts with the Afghan intelligence agency, NDS (National Directorate of Security), and through them with operatives of the Indian spy agency, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).

“They supported them (Pakistani Taliban), funded them, and even assigned possible targets [for attacks in Pakistan],” Eshan asserted, adding that anti-Pakistan militants have established their “special committees” in Afghanistan for maintaining contacts with the NDS.

News Report: Pakistan Rejects Charges of Harboring Violent 'Proxies'

Ayaz Gul

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s military has rejected allegations that it harbors militant groups engaged in violence against neighboring Afghanistan and India.

The rebuttal was part of a statement the army released Tuesday giving details of a meeting its chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, held a day earlier with visiting U.S. National Security Adviser H.R McMaster.

“While Pakistan itself is a victim of state sponsored terrorism it strongly rejects allegations of employing proxies from its soil,” Bajwa was quoted as telling McMaster.

The army chief also emphasized that emphasized again that Pakistan's counterterrorism effort is focused against “terrorists of all hue and color.”

India and Afghanistan have long accused Islamabad of tolerating or supporting militant groups that have carried out attacks across their shared borders. The United States has also pressed Islamabad to do more to crack down on such groups.

The Pakistani military statement said that McMaster “acknowledged Pakistan army's efforts in eliminating terrorists and their infrastructure, assuring U.S. support to bring peace and stability in the region and globe.”

News Report: India Considers More Active Military Role in Afghanistan

An Afghan Air Force AN-32 (Image: Wiki Commons)

India has assessed requirement of spare parts to restore dozens of Russian made military helicopters and transport aircraft. India remains non-committal to supply military spare parts to Afghanistan despite having unique agreement with Russia since year 2014.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India may be willing to play a more active military role in Afpak theatre as New Delhi might seek support from Moscow to restore Afghan Government's Soviet-era idle helicopters and military equipment.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could discuss the issue with leaders of Afghanistan and Russia during the sixth ‘Heart of Asia' conference to be held this week-end in the border town of Amritsar. 

Afghanistan had presented a wish list of spare parts for refurbishing over four dozen helicopters and some An-32 medium lift aircraft. Afghanistan has also requested brand new T-72 tanks, 105 mm howitzers and AN-32 transport planes. 

News Report: India Promises $1 Billion in Aid During Afghan President’s Visit

Ayesha Tanzeem

ISLAMABAD — India promised $1billion in development aid to Afghanistan Wednesday during Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's two-day trip to New Delhi.

Officials from the two countries also signed three agreements, including a treaty that would allow them to extradite criminals, economic offenders and people linked to terrorist activity. 

The atmosphere for this visit was in marked contrast to the last time Ghani was in New Delhi. During a visit in April of last year, he received a cold reception. At the time, Ghani was courting India’s rival, Pakistan, in a bid to improve the security situation in Afghanistan. He was hoping Pakistan would use its influence to bring the Afghan Taliban to the table to negotiate peace in Afghanistan.

Pakistan says it has limited influence with the Taliban and cannot force them beyond a certain point without facing resistance.

Since then, the Afghan president appears to have given up on Pakistan and has tilted toward India, in a move that has irked Islamabad. Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have been on the decline just as Afghanistan’s relations with India have improved.