New Delhi
19 April 2010
Barack Obama wants to take a leaf out of India's developmental interventions in
Afghanistan. He has asked his envoy to India, Timothy Roemer, to travel to Kabul to
explore the opportunities for partnering India in people-oriented projects in Afghanistan
in areas such as education, health, agriculture and infrastructure.
As the US prepares to draw down its military forces from Afghanistan, Obama believes
learning from India's successful ventures can help his administration sharpen its focus
on the fundamentally critical areas of diplomacy and development.
Mr Roemer's discussions with Indian Ambassador Jayant Prasad in Kabul and his visits
to some of the projects undertaken by India there will provide valuable inputs for the
White House as it works out the details of Obama's visit to India later this year.
Talking to journalists here, Mr Roemer said the US would want to learn about India's
success in Afghanistan and understand why its role is working well among rural
communities. The US would also want to benefit from India's best practices.
Mr Roemer will discuss with the Indian ambassador about ongoing projects, new
initiatives and additional role for India in post-war Afghanistan.
"[The US will explore] opportunities for expanding India's already helpful strategic
investments in Afghanistan[.] We are looking at partnership in peace," Mr Roemer said,
mentioning civil service and anti-corruption as potential areas of collaboration.
He insisted that India-US collaboration in the Af-Pak region will show "promise and
opportunities going forward". The US will continue to solicit India's views on Pakistan,
Afghanistan and other regional issues and it will value India's critical insights and
inputs, he elaborated.
"We listen ... [we] ask for India's opinion prior to strategic dialogues [with Pakistan.] We
do not dictate terms [to India]," Mr Roemer noted, recalling how Mr Obama personally
conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh his gratitude for India's critical role and
contributions in Afghanistan.
However, India's offer of training larger numbers of Afghan military personnel does not
seem to have many takers in the Obama administration. Sources tracking India's
engagement of the US said that Washington's main worry is that if India's involvement
in the military training escalates, other countries in the region, particularly Pakistan,
would clamour for a similar role, and that, in Washington's estimation, will open a
Pandora's Box of unforeseen problems.
India is building roads, bridges and power stations in Afghanistan. New Delhi has
pledged 1.3 billion dollars for reconstruction projects, making it the biggest regional
donor in that country.
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