US favours significant role for India in Afghanistan

The US favours a significant role for India in ensuring peace in Afghanistan but said it has to decide whether it wants a military presence in the war-ravaged country, a top American military commander said today.
 
"The US and the coalition in Afghanistan are all interested in Afghanistan succeeding, Pakistan remaining stable and solving their own internal problems, and there is a sense of urgency in things being accomplished. So the US should welcome all assistance in the region in Afghanistan and Pakistan challenge that I think we all face," US pacific commander-in-chief admiral Robert F Willard told reporters here.

However, "it is for the Indian military and the Indian government to decide" if it wanted a role in post-withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, Willard, who took over as US pacific command chief six weeks ago after serving in the Asia-Pacific region as fleet commander, said.

He was replying to questions if America was satisfied with the quantum of Indian participation in the Afghan peace process and if it would favour a military presence for India post its troops withdrawal.

Willard, however, replied in the negative when asked if he had discussed any ground-level joint military operations by India and US in Afghanistan in the future. "No, that has not been part of my dialogue (during my current visit)".

"On the other hand, I have been talking to India about their assistance to Afghan people and humanitarian assistance, and their continued support to see Afghanistan stabilise and see that infrastructure in Afghanistan improves," he said.

Willard said that the US and India have discussed the latter's role in Afghanistan and Pakistan during every engagement, including during prime minister Manmohan Singh's recent talks with US president Barack Obama in Washington.

"This is a subject we continue to discuss as nations. During prime minister Singh's discussions with President Obama, the subject of Afghanistan, Pakistan stability and India's role in the region figured," he said.

India was playing a responsible role in Afghanistan, Willard said adding, "whether India should see or desire to contribute more is entirely for India to decide."

On India-America relations, the commander said that they were one of the most important to the US and would be the focus of the US Pacific command which wants to foster the relationship.