Afghan president Hamid Karzai plays down ‘friction’ with India

NEW DELHI: India and Afghanistan are in full agreement on “all issues”, including terms that Kabul has set for signing the Bilateral Security Agreement with the US, Afghan president Hamid Karzai said on Saturday after his meetings with Indian leaders in Delhi.

Karzai said India was “not shying away” from providing military equipment to his country. Delay in signing this pact has led to tensions between Karzai and the US.

India also has massive interests in BSA and would like its concerns on Pakistan-based support for Taliban to be addressed in BSA.

Kabul shares India’s concern, Karzai told a select group of reporters a day after he held separate talks with prime minister Manmohan Singh and president Pranab Mukherjee. He said India favours a continued US presence in Afghanistan “in a limited way”.