India to attend Afghanistan peace talks in Doha today

India will be part of the Afghan peace talks, comprising regional countries, scheduled in Doha on Thursday recognising New Delhi’s role in stabilising the landlocked country close on the heels of the visit of Qatar’s special envoy to India.

Indian envoy to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, and joint secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran) in the MEA, JP Singh, are expected to represent New Delhi at the talks, ET has learnt.

It is understood that Qatar, a key element in the Afghan peace process, played a key role in India’s participation at the talks.


On Tuesday and Wednesday, Qatar was venue to two back-to-back international meetings on the Afghan situation. The US special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, and his counterparts from Russia, China and Pakistan, met in Doha, on Wednesday under the Troika Plus format. ET had earlier reported that despite Russia’s push and US backing, China and Pakistan scuttled India’s inclusion in this meet.

The Troika was preceded by a meeting on Tuesday of Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours. Russia, the United Nations and United States were also invited to Tuesday’s meeting.

Ghani in Mazar-e-Sharif
Meanwhile, Afghan President Ghani arrived in Mazar-e-Sharif city on Wednesday amid challenging security situation in the northern provinces. Ghani's adviser on security and political affairs Mohammad Mohaqiq and former Mujahideen commander Juma Khan Hamdard are accompanying Ghani on the trip.

Former Afghan vice-president Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum is also in Mazar-e-Sharif, a key city against Taliban resistance between 1996-2001. A security meeting was held in Marzar-e-Sharif on Wednesday in the presence of Marshal Dostum, former Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor and security officials in the province, ET has learnt.