Day After Trump's Jibe at Modi, Afghanistan Thanks India for Support as NSAs Meet

New Delhi: A day after US President Donald Trump mocked India’s efforts in Afghanistan, national security advisor Ajit Doval and his Afghan counterpart Dr Hamdullah Mohib met in New Delhi. Mohib is on an official visit to India till January 5. Both sides had a detailed exchange of views about developments in Afghanistan.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Doval conveyed India’s continued support for peace keeping efforts in regions that are Afghan owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled. Mohib is said to have briefed Doval about the security situation and holding of Parliamentary elections.

“He appreciated the assistance provided by India for economic development and reconstruction of Afghanistan and also for human resource development, including training of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in India,” the MEA said.

Doval is also set to visit Afghanistan, dates of which will be decided later.

The meeting holds importance as Trump had taken a jibe at Modi for funding a "library" in Afghanistan, saying it was of no use in the war-torn country as he criticised India and others for not doing enough for the nation's security.

In his first cabinet meeting in the new year on Wednesday, Trump asked India, Russia, Pakistan and other neighbouring countries to take responsibility for Afghanistan's security as he defended his push for the US to invest less overseas.

Government officials said India has been implementing a range of mega infrastructure projects as well as carrying out community development programmes in Afghanistan as per requirement of its people.

“They said such assistance would go a long way in making the country economically empowered and stable.”

Doval and Mohib’s meeting is expected to have touched upon the supply of military equipment too as Trump plans to withdraw US troops. Army officers from Afghanistan have been undertaking training in India and the latter has previously supplied its neighbor with attack helicopters.

Last year, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had met her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani and agreed upon implementing 116 new 'High Impact Community Development Projects' in 31 provinces of Afghanistan, including in the areas of education, health, agriculture, irrigation, drinking water, renewable energy, flood control, micro-hydropower, sports infrastructure, administrative infrastructure.