President meets Indian PM ahead of key event in Punjab

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met in the Amritsar city of Punjab before the Heart of Asia ministerial conference.

“Beginning together before the Heart of Asia Ministerial, PM Narendra Modi and President Ashraf Ghani held an important bilateral meeting,” the Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.

Vikas Swarup, however, gave no further details of the meeting between Modi and Ghani, who are all set to jointly inaugurate the ministerial conference.

Greater defence and trade cooperation during the two countries is believed to have figured at the weekend meeting. Faced with cross-border terror threats, Kabul and Delhi have joined hands to mount pressure on Islamabad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday held bilateral talks focusing on a range of key issues including boosting trade and investment, India’s reconstruction activities in the war-ravaged country and ways to strengthen defence and security partnership.

The issue of firming up an air cargo service pact between the two countries is understood to have figured in the talks which will give India a leverage in Afghanistan continued to deny transit link through its territory.

Modi is learnt to have assured Ghani of India’s continued support for peace and stability in Afghanistan. Ghani sought increased supply of military hardware from the ally.

Last week, India delivered last of four military helicopters to Afghanistan. Hundreds of Afghan security personnel have been trained by India.

Delhi has been supportive of an Afghan-led process of reconciliation and long-term international commitment to Afghanistan.

A trilateral framework with Russia is being developed on supplying spares and conducting repairs on other aircraft in Afghanistan.

PAN Monitor/mud

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