Modi meets Afghan Chief Executive, assures him of full cooperation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assured Afghanistans Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah of Indias commitment to help building a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.

Abdullah, who is on a two-day working visit to India, conveyed Afghanistan's deep appreciation for India's continuing support for infrastructure development and capacity building in his country.

"Both leaders reaffirmed the strength and closeness of the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Afghanistan. They welcomed the accelerated cooperation, including through the recent announcement of a new development partnership during the meeting of the bilateral Strategic Partnership Council in New Delhi," an official communique from the PMO said.

The two leaders discussed enhancing bilateral economic and development cooperation.

"Prime Minister reiterated India's commitment to extend full support to Afghanistan's efforts for building a peaceful, united, prosperous, inclusive and democratic Afghanistan," it said.

Modi and Abdullah exchanged views on the security environment in Afghanistan and the extended region, and, in this context, agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation.

An MoU for technical cooperation on police training and development was also exchanged in the presence of the two leaders at the conclusion of the meeting.

Abdullah also called on President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Kovind said that India considers Afghanistan not just a strategic partner, but a country "very close to our hearts".

"People to people exchanges have provided a very strong foundation to India-Afghanistan relations. Rabindranath Tagore's 'Kabuliwala' resonates in the heart of every Indian. Every Indian instinctively trusts a person from Kabul," he said.

The President said that India deeply respects the sacrifice made by the Afghan forces to fight forces of terror and ensuring security of Indians and India's Mission and Consulates in Afghanistan.

--IANS

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