At a time when Russia has offered to mediate between moderate Taliban and Afghanistan's ruling government, Afghan army chief is seeking Indian army's enhanced role in training of their military.
Chief Afghan National Army Lt Gen Mohd Sharif Yaftali, who arrived in New Delhi to boost military and strategic cooperation between the two nation, met his Indian army counterpart General Bipin Rawat. During an hour long meeting in the South Block, both Generals discussed the changing security dynamics in the continent.
" Besides discussing military and strategic issues, Afghanistan army chief has expressed his desire to accommodate more number of officers and cadets of Afghanistan National Army for counter-terrorism operations,"a defence source told THE WEEK.
This comes a week after Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, during a meeting with lawmakers in their Parliament, had hailed India's contribution in various sectors of the country. Emphasising that India is a good partner, President Ghani insisted that the Afghan government is committed to further strengthening bilateral cooperation with India.
The development is in the backdrop of Russia looking to assert itself in Afghanistan with its civil and military engagement. Both Russia and China have offered to mediate between Taliban and civilian government of Afghanistan.
Indian army has trained over 5000 Afghan national army personnel including officers since 2004. Through agreement to part military training happened between the two neighbours in the year 2004, but the number started picking up only after 2014, as the NATO forces decided to drawdown their forces from the trouble-torn hilly nation.
Annually, Indian army trains approximately 1000 Afghan military personnel. In fact, early this month, for the first time, a group of 20 women army and air force officers from Afghanistan was landed to be trained at the Officers' Training Academy in Chennai.
Sources also claimed that the Afghanistan army also wants New Delhi to set up a military training facility for its officers and soldiers in Afghanistan and send a training team for the purpose, which has been denied by the New Delhi as India does not want its foot soldiers' presence there.
Besides, asking for enhanced role of parting military training, Afghanistan army chief has come up with his wish list of military hardware, which Kabul has been asking for long time.
To be specific, Afghanistan has asked for as many as 150 battle tanks of T 72, 120 (105 mm) field guns, a large number of 82 mm mortars, one medium lift transport aircraft (AN-32), two squadrons of medium lift and attack helicopters, and a large number of trucks. India and Afghanistan have a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) in place since 2011, under which India has been providing military training to Afghan military officers and non-lethal aid.
It is notable that the Pakistan has been opposing presence of India in Afghanistan, which has also been endorsed by the United States in providing constructive role in the rehabilitation of Afghanistan.
