'India may send more ITBP troops to Kabul'

Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon returns from Kabul after assessing the security scenario, as the Government talks about the possibility of augmenting the strength of ITBP.

With Indian assets in Afghanistan facing increased terror threat, Government on Monday talked about the possibility of augmenting the strength of ITBP personnel there as Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon returned from Kabul after assessing the security scenario.

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Menon, who was on a two-day visit during which he met President Hamid Karzai, apprised External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee about his discussions with Afghan leaders on how to ensure better protection of Indian embassy in Kabul and consulates elsewhere in Afghanistan.

He is understood to have conveyed the plans that the Afghan Government and Indian authorities would implement to prevent any further attacks on Indian assets.

Menon visited Kabul to review security in the aftermath of the July seven suicide attack at the Indian embassy in which 58 people, including India's Defence Attache, a senior IFS officer and two ITBP jawans were killed.

Both Afghan and Indian government have accused Taliban and its mentor Pakistan's ISI of being behind the attack and cautioned of more such strikes.

In view of the increased threat, Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta said the government could consider sending more ITBP personnel to Afghanistan to supplement about 400 of them already stationed at various Indian installations and Indian projects in that country.

"If required, we will augment the strength (of ITBP personnel)," Gupta said, adding that the requirement would be reviewed with the Ministry of External Affairs.