India alerts its nationals of 'serious threat of kidnapping' in Afghanistan

• India has issued a detailed & specific security alert for its nationals in Afghanistan. This comes against the backdrop of an escalation in violent attacks by terror groups. India warned of a 'serious threat of kidnapping' & asked to exercise utmost vigilance. The security advisory was issued by Indian embassy amid a massive surge in violence by the Taliban. There was no official word from the external affairs ministry on the development. However, Indian authorities have been keeping a close watch on security affairs in Afghanistan. This came after the US had announced its plans to pull out troops from the country by September 11. Indian officials believe the US drawdown could be completed as early as July. A majority of Indians in Afghanistan are engineers, staff working on development projects. India is the largest regional donor in Afghanistan, with pledges of around $3 billion.