Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani reviewed and assessed the India-Afghanistan strategic partnership in a bilateral meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
(Photo: Twitter/@MEAIndia)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani reviewed and assessed the India-Afghanistan strategic partnership in a bilateral meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Ghani, who arrived in India in the morning on 19 September, thanked India on the occasion.
“I would like to thank Indian diplomatic institutions. What India-Afghanistan share is a deep and binding trust in democratic institutions. I am here as I am the elected leader of Afghanistan speaking in world’s largest democracy and forming relations between two democratic institutions,” he said.
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According to reports, New Delhi and Kabul also expressed determination to strengthen connectivity, including through Chabahar port and Air-Freight Corridor.
The Afghan President spoke to PM Modi on initiatives by his government towards peace and reconciliation. The two also discussed ways to confront the challenges of terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan.
Unequivocally condemning terrorist attacks and violence in Afghanistan, PM Modi reiterated India’s support to an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace and reconciliation process that would enable Afghanistan to continue as a united, peaceful, inclusive and democratic nation.
The MEA said that the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the increase in bilateral trade that has crossed the US $1 billion mark.
“The two leaders also appreciated the successful conclusion of the India-Afghanistan trade and investment show in Mumbai from 12-15 September 2018,” read the statement.
“It was agreed to deepen the New Development Partnership in the areas of high impact projects in this field of infrastructure, human resources development and other capacity building projects in Afghanistan,” the MEA said.
The two sides agreed to strengthen their coordination and consultation on activities at various international fora and also to work even more closely with their regional and international partners for prosperity, peace, stability and progress.
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