Indian FM, US officials discuss future of Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): As foreign troops continue withdrawing from Afghanistan, top Indian and US officials have met on the future of the war-torn country.

There was recognition in the US of India being an important part of discussions on Afghanistan’s future, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

Jaishankar met in Washington US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan on Friday.

Afghanistan was discussed during the meetings, the visiting external affairs minister tweeted, calling Afghanistan a very important concern.

“The possible scenarios, once the US military draws down, ae obviously something which matters to us,” the minister wrote.

Jaishankar added: “It matters very much to Afghanistan, it matters to the United States, and it has a larger regional resonance.”

In April, US President Joe Biden said all American forces would be pulled out of Afghanistan by September 11 this year.

Afghanistan came up in all of these meetings, The Times of India quoted Jaishankar as telling a group of Indian journalists.

“I don’t think it was so much an issue of what India’s role is. I mean India has an interest, India has influence, India has stakes,” he commented.

“There is recognition in the US and in many other countries, that when you talk about the future of Afghanistan, India is an important part of that conversation,” Jaishankar continued.

Jaishankar and Austin also held talks on further developing the strategic and defence partnership between the two countries.

PAN Monitor/mud

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