Sushma Swaraj calls relations with Afghanistan 'article of faith' as Kabul supports India's UNSC bid

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and visiting Afghanistan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani promised to overcome challenges faced by cross-border terrorism and find socio-economic and trade interests between each other. In a joint press statement issued by Swaraj and Rabbani on Monday, India and Afghanistan exchanged four agreements. Swaraj described the strategic partnership between India and Afghanistan as “an article of faith” and “not just another relationship or engagement”. Both countries signed agreements on pharmaceutics and medicines, Motor Vehicle agreement, a bilateral agreement on orbit frequency coordination of South Asia satellite and letters to commence new development partnerships between the two nations.

[caption id=“attachment_4032209” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Afghanistan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on Monday. Twitter @MEAIndia[/caption] Rabbani extended Afghanistan’s support for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council. “Afghanistan strongly and openly supports India’s bid for permanent membership of UN Security Council,” he said. Swaraj underscored the importance of India-Afghanistan relations saying that it was not just for the people but for the region as well. “India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan,” Swaraj said in her statement. Swaraj also said that 116 new high-impact development projects will be implemented for the socio-economic infrastructural development of suburban and rural communities in the 31 provinces of Afghanistan. “India continues to work with people of Afghanistan in their efforts to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive nation,” said Swaraj. She also said: “We are expediting development of Chahabar port in trilateral cooperation with Iran.” She added that India would also begin the supply of wheat in the coming weeks. Without naming Pakistan, Swaraj said that India and Afghanistan “will remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries”. In response, Rabbani agreed that both countries suffer from “terrorism and violent extremism that threaten us and the region’s stability”. Rabbani, however, also clarified that friendship with India or any other country did not imply Afghanistan’s hostility towards others in the region. On socio-economic security for both countries, Rabbani said, “Current regional trends bring India and Afghanistan closer than ever to protect and achieve our socio-economic, security and trade interests.”