Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said the US pullout from Afghanistan would hurt India because the situation in the war-torn country would be thrown into uncertainty.

“It (the pullout) does hurt us. It could hurt us. No one knows what is going to happen in Afghanistan,” Manmohan Singh told a group of editors during an interaction here.

Manmohan Singh’s remarks came after US President Barack Obama’s announcement of a phased drawdown of troops from Afghanistan that included the return of 10,000 troops by the end of the year and another 20,000 in 2012.

India has pledged $1.3 billion in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan since 2001.

It has built roads and hospitals in the war-racked country. Manmohan Singh visited Afghanistan May 12 where he announced another $500 million assistance for the violence-ravaged country underlining New Delhi’s unflinching resolve to continue with its activities.

But lack of a border with Afghanistan, giving it no road access except via Pakistan, is a major concern for India.

Asked if there was any possibility that Indian companies will be able to access natural resources in Afghanistan, Manmohan Singh said Pakistan was not ready to allow India transit through its soil.

“Afghan trucks can come up to Wagah. Afghanistan is quite keen. But we also have to reckon with Pakistan’s capacity to protect our enterprises. Situation on the ground is not that good.”

About talks with Taliban militia in that country, Manmohan Singh said he had told the Afghan parliament during his visit in May that that the reconciliation should be Afghan-led.

“I think (President Hamid) Karzai and other politicians can work on that. You cannot carry the good-bad Taliban distinction much too far. I don’t know but we are worried about them.”