Foreign Minister Jaishankar speaks to Afghan Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Afghan counterpart Mohammed Haneef Atmar on bilateral development cooperation as well as Afghan peace process

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday spoke to his Afghan counterpart Mohammed Haneef Atmar on bilateral development cooperation as well as Afghan peace process.

"Glad to converse with FM @MHaneefAtma of Afghanistan. Appreciated the update on the peace process. Discussed our bilateral development cooperation. Agreed to remain in close touch," Jaishankar tweeted.

On his part, Atmar said Afghanistan appreciates its growing relations with India.

"It was a pleasure to call my dear friend @DrSJaishankar and to thank the Indian government and people for their generous support to our people at 2020 Afghanistan Conference in Geneva. We highly appreciate our friendship and growing bilateral relations," he said.

India last month announced a new package of over 100 high-impact community projects worth USD 80 million for the country at a global conference on Afghanistan.

India has been a major stakeholder in the peace and stability of Afghanistan. It has already invested USD two billion in aid and reconstruction activities in the country.

India has been keenly following the evolving political situation after the US signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February. The deal provided for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, effectively drawing curtains to Washington's 18-year war with Taliban in the country.

New Delhi has also been maintaining that care should be taken to ensure that any such process does not lead to any "ungoverned spaces" where terrorists and their proxies can relocate.

India has been calling upon all sections of the political spectrum in Afghanistan to work together to meet the aspirations of all people in that country including those from the minority community for a prosperous and safe future.