Afghan people trust India more than Pakistan, says G Parthasarthy

WASHINGTON: Afghan people trust India more than Pakistan with New Delhi making significant investments in developmental projects in the war-torn country, a former senior Indian diplomat has said.

India has capability and interest to play a strong role in west of India, including in Afghanistan and Mid-east, as well as to the east, former foreign sectary G Parthasarthy said in his address to Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies ( FIIDS) in San Francisco on implications of India's regional foreign policy this week.

India has "significant investment" in Afghanistan and "there is more trust among Afghanistan people towards India than towards Pakistan," he said.

He said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stewardship, India's foreign policy has maintained a broad continuity, however, the renewed thrust has allowed a much broader consensus in the US in dealing with India.

Talking about Prime Minister's ' Act East' policy, the former diplomat said, "Modi has sought to progressively integrate the Indian economy with those of India's eastern neighbors."

Modi has made 'Look East' into an 'Act East' policy because the fastest growing economies of the world are to the east of India, he said.