The Pentagon has been asked by a key Senate panel to identify ways so that India can play a larger role in providing increased and coordinated defence- related support to war-torn Afghanistan.
A resolution moved in this regard by Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan was unanimously passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday as part of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA-2018), which approved $640 billion in critical defence spending for Fiscal Year 2018.
“This provision encourages the Department of Defence to identify ways that India can play a larger role in providing increased and coordinated defence-related support to Afghanistan, a critical part of overcoming the current “stalemate” in the fight against the Taliban,” said a statement issued by office of Senator Sullivan.
‘Encourage Increased Role for India in Afghanistan’ was one of the 24 amendment moved and passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee. NDAA-18 now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
A similar version of the bill has also been passed by the House Armed Services Committee and has been sent to the House of Representative.
{{/usCountry}}A similar version of the bill has also been passed by the House Armed Services Committee and has been sent to the House of Representative.
{{/usCountry}}The two different versions of the bill once passed by the House and the Senate would need to be made same by a conference committee of the two chambers before it is finally passed by the Senate and House. After that NDAA-18 would land on the desk of the US President for him to sign it into law.
Such a move by a key Senate panel comes a few days after US President Donald Trump praised India’s role in Afghanistan.
Of late there has been a growing desire of the Trump administration for an increased Indian role in Afghanistan. India is the largest regional contributor to Afghan reconstruction, pledging at least $2 billion toward that effort since 2001.