69% of Afghan people chose India as Afghanistan's Best friend

Sixty-nine per cent of Afghan people chose India as Afghanistan's 'best friend' country, according to a recent survey. A Brussels-based news website EU Reporter said that in order to gain insight into the people of Afghanistan, a survey was conducted which gathered an understanding of the common people's assessment of their past, current scenario, and their future aspirations. 

According to the survey, the data showed that more than 67 per cent of Afghan people believe that the mis-timed and mismanaged exit by the United States gave Pakistan and China the opportunity to encourage the Taliban to take over Kabul.

India and Afghanistan have very ancient historic and cultural ties. Despite all the efforts of Pakistan, relations between two countries at the people-to-people level have remained good, surviving Taliban rule in the 1990s and since August last year. India also has strong stakes and strategic interests in Afghanistan. 

India has



been the largest donor in Afghanistan among the countries in the region, doling out about 3 billion dollar. India is the fifth largest donor for Afghanistan in the world. India's help to Afghanistan has been diverse, ranging from building infrastructure to sending teams of medical staff and food.

Afghans have been coming to India for medical treatment. Afghan students in large numbers have been enrolled in Indian colleges and universities. India has been among the more generous suppliers of humanitarian aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The survey was conducted in the month of March, April and May this month in which a total of 2,003 responses have been collected. The results of the survey also point to the way forward for Afghanistan. 

According to the data collected in this study, the majority of Afghans want elections for choosing the leaders, who can represent them. Taliban took over Afghanistan in mid-August last year.