Wednesday November 14 2012
Kabul (BNA) Afghanistan has enjoyed cordial and warm relations based on mutual understanding with its neighboring and friend countries in the course of history.
The country with its pivotal geo-strategic location has been the focal point of trade and migration.
Afghanistan has forged close diplomatic, economic and cultural relations with the countries in the region particularly with the friendly nations like India.
Relations between two friend countries in various spheres go back to centuries where India after the toppling of Taliban regime and establishment of the Interim Administration keenly participated in the renovation process of the country and has financially supported Afghanistan with $2 billion of assistance.
This is while recently the Indian parliament also approved an amount of $100 million more for the rehabilitation process of the war torn country.
President Karzai who paid an official visit to Indonesia after attending the Bali Democracy Forum left for India where he during he stay in Mumbai met that state governor and also held meetings with businessmen and members of chambers of commerce there.
The president besides meeting his Indian counterpart Purnab Mokarjee also met Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and signed four memorandum of understanding.
The first agreement of cooperation in youth affairs was signed between two countries by Dr. Sayed Makhdom Raheen, Minister of Information and Culture and Salman Khurshed Indian Foreign Minister.
Based on this agreement the exchanging of programs, experiences, technical skills, information and knowledge will develop the youth affairs.
Last year Afghanistan and India signed strategic partnership aimed at deepening security and economic links with the Afghan government interested to India’s involvement further.
A clear definition of India’s investment in Afghanistan is that last year a group of Indian companies won the right to develop Afghanistan’s largest iron ore deposit underscoring growing ties between the two countries.
Activation of 220 Kw power from Pul-e-Khumri to Kabul, construction of Dilaram 220 ring road, construction of Afghan new parliament building, Salma Dam in Herat and provision of thousand of scholarship to Afghan students are the other obvious examples of Indian assistance and interest with Afghanistan.
Afghanistan economic relations with the great country India is important in this period of time and the government should draw mechanisms and find suitable ways for foreign investors to invest in the country but insecurity as an obstacle creates major problems for investors.
The government should provide security to the investors and their companies operating so to take the benefit of this golden opportunity for the economic growth and development of the Afghanistan.
