News
India backs UN-led initiative for ceasefire in Afghanistan: Jaishankar

BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI,
March 30: India backs a regional process to be convened under the United Nations to achieve a political settlement and a comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan as the situation in the war-torn country continues to cause grave concern, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Tuesday.
Jaishankar made the remarks in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan in Central Asia, while speaking at the ministerial meeting of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process to find a lasting solution to the situation in Afghanistan. It is a regional initiative of 15 countries, including China, Russia, Iran and Central Asian states. This was the first reaction from the Indian side to the UN-led initiative proposed by United States President Joe Biden’s administration.
Addressing a gathering that included Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Jaishankar also said durable peace in Afghanistan requires a “genuine ‘double peace’” or “peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan”. “It requires harmonising the interests of all, both within and around that country,” he added.
India’s backing for a regional process on Afghanistan convened by the UN came against the backdrop of worries in New Delhi that the country has been kept out of other processes such as Russia’s “extended troika”. It was first suggested by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter sent to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in February.
Jaishankar said: “India welcomes any move towards a genuine political settlement and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan. We appreciate the international recognition of foundational principles that will determine their contours.”
“We support a regional process to be convened under the aegis of the United Nations. UN stewardship would help to take into account all relevant UN resolutions and improve the odds for a lasting outcome,” he added.
In his letter, Blinken had outlined four elements as part of a high-level diplomatic effort involving regional countries and the UN to move quickly toward a settlement in Afghanistan. One of these four elements is a meeting to be convened by the UN of foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and the US to forge a unified approach on Afghanistan. The date for this meeting is yet to be finalised.
Jaishankar said the situation in Afghanistan continues to be a “cause for grave concern” as violence and bloodshed are “daily realities and the conflict itself has shown little sign of abatement, whatever may be the promises”.
Noting that the past few months have witnessed an escalation in targeted killings of civil society, he said that “2020 sadly marked a 45% increase in civilian casualties in Afghanistan over 2019”, while “2021 does not look very much better”.
“The continued involvement of foreign fighters in Afghanistan is particularly disturbing. Heart of Asia members and supporting countries should, therefore, make it a priority to press for an immediate reduction in violence leading to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire,” he said.
According to a UN report issued last year, some 6,500 Pakistani fighters, including members of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, were active in Afghanistan. Indian and Afghan officials have for long accused Pakistan’s military establishment with deep links with elements of the Taliban, especially the Haqqani Network.
Jaishankar said that ensuring Afghanistan is free of terrorism, violent extremism and drug and criminal syndicates is a “collective imperative”. He added: “A stable, sovereign and peaceful Afghanistan is truly the basis for peace and progress in our region.”
India has supported all efforts to accelerate dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including intra-Afghan negotiations, and attended the inaugural virtual session of the Doha talks in Qatar last year. “If the peace process is to be successful, then it is necessary to ensure that the negotiating parties continue to engage in good faith, with a serious commitment towards reaching a political solution,” he said.
At the same time, Jaishankar reiterated India’s interest in preserving the gains made over the past two decades in Afghanistan, including the democratic framework under which elections are held through universal suffrage, sovereignty in domestic and foreign policy and protection of the rights of women, children and minorities.
India is also committed to the development partnership with Afghanistan, which involves pledges of $3 billion, including more than 550 community development projects covering all 34 provinces, in order to ensure a self-sustaining nation.
As the lead country on trade, commerce and investment confidence-building measures under the Heart of Asia process, India will continue to work on improving Afghanistan’s connectivity through projects such as Chabahar port in Iran and dedicated air freight corridors between Indian and Afghan cities, Jaishankar said.
A lot of speculation regarding Jaishankar’s visit to Dushanbe has focused on whether he will hold a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Qureshi. However, there was no official word from the Indian or Pakistani side about such a meeting.
Ahead of the ministerial meeting of the Heart of Asia process, Jaishankar held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday night and shared India’s perspectives on the peace process. He also met his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and discussed bilateral cooperation, including for Chabahar port.
Jaishankar held a separate meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and discussed “Afghanistan-related developments and our bilateral relations”, he said in a tweet.
News
Rear Admiral Hiran Balasuriya assumes duties as Director General Civil Engineering of Navy

Rear Admiral Hiran Balasuriya assumed duties as Director General Civil Engineering at the Office of Director General Civil Engineering at Navy Headquarters on 06th June 2023.
Latest News
Digital Promotion Agency to be established – President

President Ranil Wickremesinghe during a meeting with Governing and Opposition Members of Parliament held at the Parliament Complex, announced plans to establish a Digital Promotion Agency aimed at developing computer applications for the collection and monitoring of data from various government entities in Sri Lanka.
Previously, private companies had been responsible for creating such applications for government organizations and the President emphasized the need for a dedicated agency to carry out this task in the future.
Latest News
President holds crucial meeting with SLRCS and IFRC officials

President Ranil Wickremesinghe convened a meeting today (7) with a delegation composed of members from the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The delegation comprised of Jagath Abeysinghe, President of SLRCS, Dr. Mahesh Gunasekara, Director General of SLRCS, Alexander Matheou, IFRC Regional Director for Asia Pacific, and Udaya Regmi, IFRC Head of Country Cluster Delegation for South Asia.
The primary objective of the meeting was to provide President Wickremesinghe with a comprehensive update regarding the ongoing South Asia National Societies Leadership meeting held in Colombo on June 6th and 7th
-
Business7 days ago
‘ඇය සුරකින AIA’ celebrates one year of empowering half a million women to rise together
-
News7 days ago
AI demands immediate release of Natasha
-
Business7 days ago
DFCC Bank provides exclusive free access to DOC 990 for DFCC Aloka accountholders
-
News4 days ago
Ayodhya Iddawela Perera poised to lead Sampath Bank as its next MD
-
Features6 days ago
Religious cauldron being stirred; filthy rich in abjectly poor country
-
Opinion6 days ago
Demystifying Buddhism: Need of the hour?
-
Sports4 days ago
Time is running out for Sri Lanka
-
Features4 days ago
BOOK LAUNCH IN MELBOURNE