India committed to peace in Afghanistan: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday assured Afghan peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah that India remained committed to peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan. Jaishankar and Abdullah held extensive talks on various aspects of the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban, and on bilateral cooperation.

New Delhi: Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Friday met Afghan peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah at Hyderabad house in New Delhi and assured that India is committed to peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral cooperation and regional issues during the meeting. Taking to twitter EAM Jaishankar said, “Pleased to meet Chairman HCNR @DrabdullahCE. A good discussion on our bilateral cooperation and regional issues. Welcomed his insights and perspectives on recent developments. As a neighbour, India remains committed to peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan”.

• Pleased to meet Chairman HCNR @DrabdullahCE. A good discussion on our bilateral cooperation and regional issues. Welcomed his insights and perspectives on recent developments. As a neighbour, India remains committed to peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/9wDKxulvmE

  — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 9, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Pleased to meet Chairman HCNR @DrabdullahCE. A good discussion on our bilateral cooperation and regional issues. Welcomed his insights and perspectives on recent developments. As a neighbour, India remains committed to peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/9wDKxulvmE

  — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 9, 2020

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  Pleased to meet Chairman HCNR @DrabdullahCE. A good discussion on our bilateral cooperation and regional issues. Welcomed his insights and perspectives on recent developments. As a neighbour, India remains committed to peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/9wDKxulvmE

  — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 9, 2020

The Chairperson of High Council of National Reconciliation, Dr Abdullah Abdullah too took to twitter and said that he is pleased to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and that both two leaders also talked about the Afghan peace process apart from bilateral ties and regional issues.

As always pleased to meet HE @DrSJaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India. We exchanged views on the #AfghanPeaceProcess, bilateral relations, & regional support for peace efforts. He assured me of India’s full support for peace in Afghanistan,” he tweeted.

• As always pleased to meet HE @DrSJaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India. We exchanged views on the #AfghanPeaceProcess, bilateral relations, & regional support for peace efforts. He assured me of India’s full support for peace in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/6VgT5DNRnz

  — Dr. Abdullah Abdullah (@DrabdullahCE) October 9, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  As always pleased to meet HE @DrSJaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India. We exchanged views on the #AfghanPeaceProcess, bilateral relations, & regional support for peace efforts. He assured me of India’s full support for peace in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/6VgT5DNRnz

  — Dr. Abdullah Abdullah (@DrabdullahCE) October 9, 2020

  ">

  As always pleased to meet HE @DrSJaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India. We exchanged views on the #AfghanPeaceProcess, bilateral relations, & regional support for peace efforts. He assured me of India’s full support for peace in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/6VgT5DNRnz

  — Dr. Abdullah Abdullah (@DrabdullahCE) October 9, 2020

Dr Abdullah Abdullah is on a five-day official visit to India, which began on Tuesday to muster support for the Afghan peace process and regional consensus. He travelled to New Delhi after a three-day visit to Islamabad last week.

On Thursday Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and discussed the ongoing peace initiative to bring stability in Afghanistan.

On Wednesday, Dr Abdullah, the head of Afghan peace council held extensive talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. They discussed the process for an independent, democratic, sovereign and peaceful Afghanistan where no terrorists can operate.

The visit of the influential Afghan leader to India comes amid peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha.

The Taliban and the Afghan government are holding direct talks to end 19 years of war that has killed over 10,000 people and ravaged various parts of the country. India has been a major stakeholder in the peace and stability of Afghanistan. It has already invested USD two billion in aid and reconstruction activities in the country.

India has been supporting a national peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

It is pertinent to note that India has been keenly following the evolving political situation after the US signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February. The deal provided for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, effectively drawing curtains to Washington's 18-year war in the country.

The US has lost over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001. India has been calling upon all sections of the political spectrum in Afghanistan to work together to meet the aspirations of all people in that country including those from the minority community for a prosperous and safe future.