India for Afghan-led peace talks
News: India advocated any peace negotiation should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled at Samarkand meet.
Important Facts:
Highlights of Samarkand Meeting:
- Discussion was held between foreign ministers at the India-Central Asia Dialogue at Samarkand, Uzbekistan
- India provided supports to build a united, sovereign, democratic, peaceful, stable, prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan
- India supports all efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan which are inclusive and Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled
- Such statement was in contrary to General Bipin Rawat, chief of army staff who urged India to begin talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan
- Meeting described Afghanistan as a “land link” in the region that will help in connectivity between India and Central Asian nations
- Meeting also discussed opportunities for Afghanistan people through this platform and asked
Afghanistan for participation in such dialogue
India-Afghanistan-Central Asia Connectivity Projects:
- International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multi modal transportation cooperation between member states
India-Afghanistan-Central Asian nations Common Forum:
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization where India and Central Asian nations (except Turkmenistan) are permanent members and Afghanistan has observer status