Jaishankar holds telephonic talks with US special envoy for Afghanistan Khalilzad

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US negotiator for Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad on Friday held a telephonic conversation, focusing on the evolving situation in Afghanistan after the Trump administration struck a deal with the Taliban in February.

It is learnt that Jaishankar and Khalilzad exchanged views on ways to bring lasting peace to the war-ravaged country.

"@US4AfghanPeace called to update on recent Afghan developments. Shared the Indian perspective. Our historical friendship with this close neighbour will always guide our Afghan policy," Jaishankar tweeted.

The US-Taliban deal, inked on February 29, provides for the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan effectively drawing curtains to Washington's 18-year war in the country.

The US has lost over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

India has been supporting a national peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan controlled.

India 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.

Earlier this month, India welcomed the decision by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to form a team for intra-Afghan negotiation.

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.

There has been global concerns over Pakistan's support to Taliban and other terror groups operating in Afghanistan.

Days before inking of the peace deal between the US and Taliban, India conveyed to the Trump administration that pressure on Pakistan to crack down on terror networks operating from its soil must be kept up.