New Delhi
4 December 2009
The United States has not sought Indian troops in Afghanistan but it is for New
Delhi to decide whether and how it wants to contribute more to the rebuilding of
Afghanistan, US Pacific Commander chief Admiral Robert F Willard said here Friday. He
also said that there is no "end date" for the withdrawal of American troops from
Afghanistan. Earlier this week, US President Barack Obama announced that 30,000 new
American troops will be deployed in Afghanistan but he will begin pulling out all the
American troops from July 2011.
Willard told reporters that he has been talking to India about development and
humanitarian assistance to Afghan people. In reply to a question, he said that it is for the
Indian military and the Indian government to decide if it wanted a role post the
withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan.
India has time and again ruled out sending troops to Afghanistan to be part of the US-led
offensive. India's military interaction with Afghanistan has been through training its
military officers in the National Defence Academy. It also runs a medical facility in
Afghanistan staffed by army doctors. It has also posted instructors to teach English and
martial music to Afghan soldiers and officers. India's involvement in that country has
been limited to providing development assistance. India has invested in infrastructure
projects such as roads, hospitals, schools and the new parliament building in Kabul.
Indian reconstruction aid totals 1.5 billion dollars.
India and US are in talks to convert its bilateral Malabar series of naval exercises into a
joint services war game involving their navies, air forces and marine commandos.
Willard, who was on a two-day visit to India, met Indian Army chief General Deepak
Kapoor, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma and Air Force vice chief Air Marshal PK
Barbora Thursday. He also met Defence Secretary Pradeep Thakur. Willard took over as
US Pacific Command chief six weeks ago, after serving in the Asia-Pacific region as
Fleet Commander.
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