India, China start training Afghan diplomats
New Delhi [India], Oct 15 (ANI): India, China have joined hands and launched a joint programme to train Afghan diplomats.
ANI
Oct 15, 2018 20:08 IST
New Delhi [India], Oct 15 (ANI): India, China have joined hands and launched a joint programme to train Afghan diplomats.
A statement from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj read out on Monday asserted that New Delhi is committed to partner with Kabul in its efforts to emerge a united, peaceful, secure, stable, inclusive and economically vibrant nation.
At the inaugural event for training of Afghan diplomats at the Foreign Services Institute as part of joint programme with China, Swaraj said: "Guided by the vision of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', the Indian Government has embarked on an ambitious development partnership programme with commitment of over USD 3 billion. This has four broad pillars: building infrastructure; developing human resource; enhancing connectivity; and promoting trade and investment links. India-Afghanistan Friendship dam in Herat, Parliament building in Kabul, operationalisation of Chabahar port are prominent symbols of this partnership."
Talking about India's New Development Partnership with Afghanistan, she stressed that it aspires to bring prosperity to all 34 provinces of Afghanistan through high impact community development projects.
Expressing her happiness on the commencement of the joint training programme, Swaraj revealed that the idea for the joint effort was conceived when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan in April 2018.
"Today, we see it blooming with the initiation of this training programme. This marks the beginning of what we visualise as a long term trilateral partnership for the benefit of Afghanistan," Swaraj said while elaborating on India's partnership with China for Afghanistan.
The training of the Afghan diplomats is being conducted under the aegis of the Trilateral Cooperation between India, China and Afghanistan.
The joint programme which began today will continue till October 26.
Earlier, Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar had hosted 10 Afghan diplomats ahead of their departure for the first India-China Joint Training Programme on October 13. (ANI)
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