Narendra Modi and Ashraf Ghani the President of Afghanistan, in the in their talks last year had expressed their mutual agreement on a ‘firm resolve’ on the problems posed by terrorism and also at the same time, emphasising on the closure of cross-border safe havens and sanctuaries for peace to remain. Recently, the Prime Minister has promised to meet Mr. Modi to discuss the bilateral ties as well as the regional security situation.
Mr. Ghani is supposed to land in India tomorrow and is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister in the afternoon over a formal lunch and discussing the issues related. He is also supposed to address a ‘civic reception’ which in turn is organised by the think-tank of India Foundation.
The visit is being considered significant as Ghani is paying a visit within a few days of Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visiting Afganistan and holding official talks. With the two foreign ministers visiting the country, the chances of coming up with more viable solutions for the problems relating to security is dealt. Moreover, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had travelled to Kabul to chair the meeting with the central agenda of the ‘Joint Working Group on Political and Security Cooperation between India and Afganistan.’
Mr. Ghani is expected to hold a discussion and talks with Mr. Modi on the recent moves of reconciliation efforts with the Taliban. The last talks had dealt with terrorism as a major issue of concern and hence, it is supposed to form a crux of the talks. As part of the process, the U.S. envoy Alice Wells is also expected to hold a second round of talks with Taliban representatives in Doha. This meeting will occur two months after she had last held talks with the group.
India has backed Mr. Ghani on an “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process” and hence, this visit is to act as an opportunity for both the countries to discuss the crises at hand.