India is one of the biggest providers of developmental assistance to war-torn Afghanistan. There has been an increase in New Delhi’s role in helping the Afghan security forces.
This move of India could really annoy Pakistan.
A bipartisan group of American senators have sought enhanced cooperation with India in Afghanistan. The lawmakers have introduced a legislative amendment to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) – 2018 in the Senate to support their demand. This amendment would increase India’s role in assisting the Afghan security forces through logistics support, threat analysis, intelligence, materiel, and maintenance support. The amendment asks defence secretary Jim Mattis and secretary of state Rex Tillerson to identify ways in which India can support “targeted infrastructure development” and economic investment in Afghanistan.
Calling for a trilateral security and civilian cooperation between India, Afghanistan and the US, it seeks the establishment of priorities for investments to promote security and stability in Afghanistan that align with the “mutual interests” of Afghanistan, India, and the US.
The amendment – if passed by the Senate and implemented by the US and India – could irk Pakistan as it opposes any Indian role in neighbouring Afghanistan. The Senate is yet to vote on the NDAA-2018.
This amendment was moved on 27 July.