indian-flagThe External Affairs Minister of India Salman Khurshid said Saturday that India will very soon start the delivery of helicopters to Afghanistan.

Mr. Khurshid told reporters who were accompanying him during his visit to Afghanistan, “We are giving them helicopters and we will be supplying them very soon.”

He arrived to southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan on Saturday to inaugurate the National University of Agriculture Science and Technology university built with Indian aid.

“We have also been giving them some logistical support and we hopefully will be able to upgrade and refurbish their transport aircraft,” Khurshid quoted by Press Trust of India said.

Without disclosing further information regarding the number and type of helicotpers to be delivered to Afghanistan, Mr. Khurshid, said, “Afghanistan is very special and uptil now wherever they felt they need (something), we have been giving them.”

He said, I think it is consistent with our approach – building capacity, providing training. That seems to be going well. Ultimately it is what we mutually agree and is within our capacity to supply.”

This comes as the Afghan president Hamid Karzai had sought military aid and equipment from India during a visit to New Delhi last year.

The Indian External Affairs Minister said India is “not reluctant” about assisting Afghanistan as it has a very clear policy the world over to build capacity.

“We are not in the game of giving people large scale equipment which is lethal and so on,” he said, adding that India will remain committed to ssist the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

Author


  • Ahmad Shah Ghani Zada is the former Senior Editor of Khaama Press Agency who managed and overlooked the English edition. He is occasionally contributing stories to the agency.