India says New Delhi stands with Afghanistan for national unity

A day ahead of signing of a landmark peace deal between the US and the Taliban, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla yesterday travelled to Kabul and conveyed to the top Afghan leadership India's unstinted support to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. He met President Ashraf Ghani and handed over to him a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shringla met Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, Vice President-elect Amrullah Saleh, National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib and acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Haroon Chakhansuri and apprised them about India's strong commitment for all-round development of Afghanistan.

In a series of tweets, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, India stands with Afghanistan for



strengthening national unity, territorial integrity, democracy, plurality and prosperity in the country and bringing an end to externally sponsored terrorism.

On Shringla's meeting with Ghani, Kumar said the Afghan president appreciated India's consistent support for democracy and constitutional order in Afghanistan.

Kumar said the foreign secretary had a meaningful exchange of views on the developments and peace efforts in Afghanistan with the leadership of the country.

The US and the Taliban are set to sign a peace deal at a ceremony in Doha tomorrow which will provide for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan nearly 18 years after their deployment in the country.