No question of military involvement in Afghanistan: India
July 1st, 2009 - 10:14 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, July 1 (IANS) India Wednesday ruled out any military involvement in Afghanistan and underlined the need for greater international cooperation in restoring stability to the violence-torn country.
“Nobody has suggested that India should get militarily involved. India does not get militarily involved unless it is attacked,” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters when asked if India was planning to involve itself militarily in restoring stability in Afghanistan.
“In the recent past, there has been a renewed international focus on the situation in Afghanistan and its linkage to Pakistan,” he said while recalling his discussions with his counterpart Rangin Dadfar Spanta in the Italian coastal city of Trieste last week.
“India has a direct interest in the success of the international efforts in stabilising the region, and has stood ready to play a constructive role in defeating extremism,” he said.
India will continue to strengthen Afghanistan’s economy and infrastructure, Krishna said.
The message was aimed at Pakistan, which is resentful of India’s growing influence in that country, and underlined India’s commitment to the reconstruction of Afgahnistan nearly a year after the attack on its embassy in that country.
The attack was allegedly masterminded by extremists in league with the Pakistani spy agency ISI. India has pledged $1.2 billion for rebuilding Afghanistan.
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