India likely to get role in Afghan military affairs

Kabul, June 22(ANI): The ongoing row between the NATO forces and allied European countries regarding provisions of training for the Afghan National Army is reportedly paving way for ‘legalized’ Indian presence in Afghanistan.

According to reports, with NATO’s European allies being reluctant to cooperate any further in Afghanistan, India is likely to be assigned a major role in Afghanistan’s military affairs.

The 120 million dollar deal given to private military company, Blackwater, by the U.S. Department of State is being seen as a pertinent move in this regard.

The dwindling chances of training of Afghan forces by the European states are to blur further thus giving India all the needed justifications to ’serve’ in Afghanistan, The Nation reports.

Currently, India’s work in Afghanistan is limited to economic assistance.ndia and Afghanistan have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in labour related areas.

Under the terms of MoU, India will provide technical support in developing a comprehensive employment strategy for Afghanistan in order to enable the Government of Afghanistan to tackle its major problem of large-scale unemployment.

India would also assist Afghanistan in establishment and expansion of vocational training programmers, as well as technical support in its other skill development initiatives like procedures for certification, trainers for vocational training centres, selection of viable vocational skills and setting up the procedures for providing modular skills.

India will also give technical support to the Ministry of Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled in establishment of the Labour Research and Resource Centre in Afghanistan on the lines of the V.V. Giri National labour Institute in India, which will act as a nodal department for coordinating and conducting research, providing resources and conducting training on labour related issues. (ANI)