India rejects Afghanistan’s request for weapons supply

India rejected the supply of lethal weapons to Afghanistan security forces days after Afghan president Hamid Karzai visited India and provided Afghanistan’s wish-list to the government of India.

President Hamid Karzai also discussed the issue with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, however Indian external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said that New Delhi was not “either in a position or willing” to contribute lethal weapons right now.

Salman Khurshid quoted by Straits Times said, “We are going to help with non-lethal equipment but I don’t think we are either in the position to or willing to contribute lethal weapons right now.”

Mr. Khurshid further added, ,”We think it is not advisable to go beyond that. It is a fragile area, there are stakeholders, there are other people. We don’t want to become part of the problem.”
However, he said that India already supplies important elements of supporting equipment, transportation- which includes helicopters.

While speaking during an interview with the Straits Times, Salman Khurshid said everyone has his own perception about the future of Afghanistan.

He said, “if we can help Afghanistan without creating further problems for them, I think that would be a preferred way to do it.”

“We are in touch with them constantly, and we are committed and have said very categorically… We are not looking at exit routes for ourselves which means we are there to stay for a long term,” Mr. Khurshid said adding that, “We are very comforted by the fact that Afghans have confidence in us. We won’t let them down.”