Support to terror groups must end for stable Afghanistan: India

LONDON: In a veiled attack on Pakistan, India has said Afghanistan's neighbours must ensure that "support, sustenance and sanctuaries" to terror groups are ended immediately to bring stability to the war-torn nation.

"For Afghanistan's stabilisation, it is essential for the neighbouring and regional countries to ensure that support, sustenance and sanctuaries for terrorist organisations are ended forthwith," External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said.

Addressing the one-day Afghan conference at Lancaster House in London on Thursday evening, Krishna announced two new initiatives to help Afghanistan under which India would provide 500 fellowships to Afghan students over the next five years, besides absorbing 200 aspirants each year in programmes in agriculture and related areas.

He said Afghanistan should emerge as a trade, transportation and energy hub linking together the countries of the region, from Central to South Asia.

Unfettered transit and transport linkages between Afghanistan and the countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and SAARC could provide larger markets for Afghan products, he said.

Growing economic interdependence could catalyse peace and prosperity in the region at large and in Afghanistan in particular, he said.