India’s road to Afghanistan

Despite the dangers of working in a war- ravaged nation, India remains strongly committed to the reconstruction of Afghanistan from building an electricity transmission line to setting up a national television network and rebuilding schools, hospitals and clinics

NEW DELHI; India is involved in the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan in a major way and has pledged millions of dollars in aid, for a slew of projects starting from building roads to schools, transmission lines, hospitals, digging tube wells as well as building a swanky new Parliament building, the symbol of democracy in Kabul.

But Indian aid goes beyond this to train and prepare Afghan officials to run the administration. Many are being trained here through the International Technical and Economic Co-operation programme run by the government of India.

India had always been involved in training Afghan personnel in fact right through the days of King Zahir Shah and then through the Najibullah era to the present time.  
The only interruption was during the period of Taliban control when India was left out in the cold and like several other countries in the world had no diplomatic ties with Kabul.

But while officials insist that India had always been a friend of the Afghan people, the fact remains that once the Taliban regime was thrown out, New Delhi was eager to make massive inroads into the country for strategic reasons. Afghanistan is the backyard of Pakistan and getting access here is important for India.

India is also aware that it needs to have lines open to all ethnic groups in Afghanistan and has taken care to make its presence people-friendly. ``There is a marked difference between Indian aid and that of major western powers involved in the international reconstruction effort,’’ says a former Indian ambassador to Kabul, who did not wish to be identified.

He points to two major differences between India and the western democracies, including the US. ``For one we don’t dictate terms. We ask the government of Hamid Karzai to tell us what they want. Unlike many other countries we don’t talk down to the government and push projects that individual countries think is good for Afghanistan,’’ the former ambassador explained.

Whether it is 400 Tata trucks or wells in western Afghanistan or wheat which the government wanted urgently at one point, India is there to provide for what the Afghans think is necessary.

``Unlike many other nations who pledge millions of dollars and take away sometimes as much as fifty per cent of the funds in administrative cost for personnel or NGO’s from the donor country, India’s cost for running projects is much lower, as salaries to staff is not the same as that paid to Western workers. The Afghans realise that what India gives as aid goes mostly to the local population,’’ the Indian official explained.

One of India’s major projects in Afghanistan is building the $180 million strategic Zaranj-Delaram road which would open up an alternate route for the landlocked-Afghanistan to an Iranian port and reduce its dependence on Pakistan.

Last week two Indians were killed in the road construction project in the Nimroz province. The road from Iran has been vehemently opposed by the Taliban. New Delhi had to deploy the Indo-Tibetan Border Police to guard Indian workers in the road project, together with Afghan security.

India currently has pledged an assistance of $750 to $800 million for various projects, including the construction of an electricity transmission line from Pul-e-Kumri to Kabul, and the Salma Dam power project in Herat city. New Delhi is also setting up a national television network. Apart from these major works India is involved in rebuilding
schools, hospitals and clinics through out the country.