U.S. declares India an essential partner in Afghanistan

The United States has declared India an essential partner in Afghanistan ahead of Vice President Joe Biden's visit to New Delhi, starting Monday.

A senior unnamed Obama Administration official described India's role as a development partner as very important for the economic well being of Afghanistan.

He said India is supporting institutions of the Afghan State and facilitating commercial investment in the country.

According to the official, Vice-President Biden is expected to convey to the Indian leadership Washington's view that the necessary outcome of any Afghan-led process that involves the Taliban has to be breaking with al-Qaeda, renouncing violence and abiding by the terms of the Afghan constitution.

On the peace process, the official said, the two countries share the views that Afghan-led process that results in a democratic peaceful and stable Afghanistan is the core outcome that they are looking for.