PM Modi govt. will have 'positive impact' on New Delhi-Kabul relations, says Afghan interior minister

Afghanistan Interior Minister Mohammad Omar Daudzai on Tuesday called India an 'all weather' and 'time tested' friend and said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government will have a positive impact on India and Afghanistan relations.

"India is our all weather friend and a time tested friend. The friendship between the two countries will continue and the new Indian government will have a positive impact on the relationship between the two countries," Daudzai said during an interaction with the media.

Daudzai also said that the relationship between the two countries extends to his country's security needs.

"On the security front, Afghanistan relies on India for training and equipments," he said.

Daudzai also said the US troops in Afghanistan have helped defend the democracy of his nation, adding that this year's presidential elections were testament to that fact.

"American forces have been in Afghanistan for the past 13 years and they have invested generously to rebuild the Afghan forces and to defend democracy. This year, for the first time in Afghanistan's history, we have witnessed a successful transition of political authority from one elected president to another in a most peaceful and dignified manner."

"The Afghan security forces this year proved their capacity by securing the two rounds of elections, proving sceptics wrong," he added.

In September, Ashraf Ghani was sworn in as the new president of Afghanistan, taking over the reins from Hamid Karzai.