New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Denying reports of India being marginalised in the emerging US strategy in Afghanistan at Pakistan’s behest, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna has said the US has never pressed New Delhi “directly or indirectly” to cut its presence in the violence-hit country.
“We have in our interactions with the US administration at various levels not got the impression that the US is trying to convey, directly or indirectly to the Indian government, that our presence in Afghanistan should be minimized. That is not my impression,” Krishna told Karan Thapar in The Devil’s Advocate programme aired on CNN-IBN Sunday night.

He was responding to a question on whether US President Barack Obama might become vulnerable to Pakistani pressure to try and reduce India’s presence in Afghanistan.

“I am sure that America is appreciative of the role India is playing in Afghanistan as much as the people of Afghanistan themselves are appreciative of the role India is playing in Afghanistan,” Krishna said. He was asked if the US was supportive of India’s role in Afghanistan.

“I do not think that India has been squeezed out,” Krishna replied when asked about media reports that suggested that India was being left out of the loop on Afghanistan.

“I think India is playing a stellar role in rebuilding Afghanistan which has been acknowledged by the people of Afghanistan and by the legitimate government of Afghanistan, and that is what matters,” he said.

India has pledged $1.3 billion for reconstruction of Afghanistan. Over 3,500 Indians are engaged in an array of humanitarian projects ranging from building roads, dams and power stations to dozens of Afghan-driven grassroot development projects.

Downplaying fears in some quarters about Pakistan’s growing clout in the process of reintegration with the Taliban endorsed at the Jan 28 London conference, Krishna said Islamabad’s role was not at the cost of India.

He also made it clear that India agreed to the reintegration proposal provided certain red lines laid down at the London meet were observed.

“Those red lines are that any effort in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led, should confine to the constitution of Afghanistan, and that there should not be any direct linkage between those organizations which are preaching terror and which are perpetuating terror in Afghanistan.”