Karzai Hopes To Secure Military Aid From India

With international peace keeping forces pulling out of Afghanistan next year, President Hamid Karzai is trying to rope in all the help he can get.

On an official visit to New Delhi this week, Karzai is expected to meet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee where he will likely request military aid from India.

"India, as a friend of Afghanistan, has made an immense contribution in uplifting its youths," he was quoted as saying.

"India has contributed $2 billion from the hard-earned money of its taxpayers for the betterment of Afghanistan," he added.

As part of its goodwill toward Kabul, India is already training a few Afghan military officers at its military institutions but has provided little weapons assistance. In 2012, Delhi signed mining and development deals and pledged $2bn (£1.3bn) in assistance to Kabul.

According to the spokesperson, Afghanistan is to ask for all kinds of assistance from India in order to strengthen their military and security institutions. This could lead to signing of a potential arms deal between the two, Indian officials reported.

Earlier this month, Afghanistan's ambassador to India said the country needed India's help with equipment and weapons and was hoping to boost defence ties.

In 2011, India and Afghanistan began strategic partnership aimed at deepening the security and economic links between the two.