Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently lauded India's role in Afghanistan and said that obviously India -- as much as Iran and the others -- have a role to play in terms of a regional approach to Afghanistan that President Obama had spoken about. But Pakistan really gets paranoid about India's involvement in Afghanistan.
Is not India's role as a player indispensable?
Sure. And, we have welcomed the role that India has played. India has kept that role to be a non-military one -- and we think that is important. We want this to reassure people in the region -- not to raise suspicions.
What India has done in terms of training and scholarships is terrific.
What they have done in terms of civil service training is terrific -- a whole lot of stuff. They have not just contributed a whole lot of money, but done a whole lot of stuff and done a good job at. So, we want that to continue.
India's interest in stabilising instability is very clear and we are glad that they are acting on their interests.
Image: Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a joint press conference in New Delhi. Photograph: B Mathur/Reuters.
Also see: How Obama avoided a 'misguided policy blunder'
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