The majority of Afghans believe ‘India – a best friend’ to Kabul
New Delhi: In the latest survey conducted in Afghanistan over the landlocked country’s relations with other nations, Around 70 percent of afghans believed that India is the best friend to Kabul. A survey was conducted which gathered an understanding of the common people’s assessment of their past, current scenario, and future aspirations.
India has been the largest donor in Afghanistan among the countries in the region, doling out about $3 billion, and it is the fifth largest donor (for Afghanistan) in the world. India’s help has been diverse, ranging from building infrastructure to sending teams of medical staff and food. Afghans have been coming to India for medical treatment. Afghan students in large numbers have been enrolled in Indian colleges and universities. The Indian Military Academy (Dehradun) has been regularly accepting Afghan cadets.
India has strong stakes and strategic interests in Afghanistan. The two countries have very ancient historic and cultural ties. Despite all the efforts of Pakistan, India-Afghanistan relations at the people-to-people level have remained good, surviving Taliban rule in the 1990s and since August last year.
Data shows that more than 67 percent of Afghan people believe that the mistimed and mismanaged exit by the United States gave Pakistan and China the opportunity to encourage the Taliban to take over Kabul.
India has been among the more generous suppliers of humanitarian aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.Trade between the two countries has not blossomed largely because of Pakistan`s obduracy, refusing to open its land route to Indian exports to Afghanistan. This kind of pettiness is a direct result of Islamabad`s policy of blind hostility toward New Delhi.
(Vinayak)
