India is Afghanistan’s most reliable partner: Pentagon report

India, Iran and Afghanistan signed the Chabahar Port agreement in 2016, opening a trade route into Central Asia and Europe and allowing for the bypass of Pakistan.

India is Afghanistan’s most reliable regional partner, the Pentagon has said in its latest Afghan report, the first under the Trump administration.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani during Sixth Heart of Asia Conference in Amritsar on April 12, 2016. (PTI)

“India is providing significant training opportunities for Afghan officers and enlisted personnel. Approximately 130 Afghans travel to India each year to attend various military academy and commissioning programs,” it said in the six- monthly report to the US Congress.

“India is Afghanistan’s most reliable regional partner and the largest contributor of development assistance in the region, including civil development projects such as the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam and the Afghan parliament building,” the Pentagon added.

According to the report which covers the period of December 2016 to May 2017, India has donated limited security assistance, most notably four Mi-35 aircraft.

In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed the Chabahar Port agreement opening a trade route into Central Asia and Europe and allowing for the bypass of Pakistan, the Pentagon said.

India enjoys close relations with Afghanistan, and both accuse common neighbour Pakistan of not doing enough to stop Islamist militants operating on its territory.