India Backs Afghan Aims To Reconcile With Taliban: PM Manmohan Singh

KABUL: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday that he strongly supports the country's effort to reconcile with the Taliban insurgency and said Afghanistan can depend on India's support in rebuilding its fractured society.



Manmohan Singh's two-day visit and words of support reflected the two nations' close ties, built in part on a shared distrust of neighboring Pakistan, whose intelligence agencies are accused of encouraging and even funding the militancy in both countries.



"India is your neighbor and partner in development," Singh told a gathering including President Hamid Karzai and senior officials in Kabul, the Afghan capital. "You can count on us as you build your society, economy and polity."



Singh held talks with Karzai on regional stability, counterterrorism and the India-Afghanistan strategic partnership.



Afghanistan is becoming more reliant on regional allies like India as its international partners face increasing pressure to withdraw troops, especially after the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.



Karzai has argued that the best solution to Afghanistan's long-running war against the Taliban insurgency is to convince the militants to reconcile with the government - a stance that has also gained more traction with the US and other international allies in recent years.



Singh applauded this effort in his speech.



"We strongly support the Afghan people's quest for peace and reconciliation," Singh said. "India supports the unity, integrity and prosperity and Afghanistan."



The US and NATO have long overseen the security of Afghanistan, ensuring that Taliban militants are not able to take and hold territory. But the US expects to start drawing down troops in July, and international forces have agreed to hand over responsibility for security countrywide by 2014.



Bin Laden's killing last week in Pakistan has increased questions in the United States over why so many troops and resources are dedicated to Afghanistan. Many both inside Afghanistan and abroad have said they hope bin Laden's death will also make the Taliban more likely to sever its ties with al-Qaida - a precondition for any negotiations that was set by the Afghan government.



Singh was expected to announce a new multimillion-dollar aid package during the visit, according to Indian officials.



India has spent $1.5 billion in Afghanistan to help build highways, hospitals and the electricity grid. It has also helped the Afghan government rebuild its police forces, judiciary and diplomatic services.



Singh last visited Afghanistan in 2005, but Karzai has been a frequent visitor to India. The Afghan president, who earned his college degree in India, has visited New Delhi a half dozen times in the past few years, most recently in February.