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India to appoint ambassador to Afghanistan soon
India, which re-opened its embassy in Kabul last month, would soon appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan and establish a $100 million line of credit to help the war-ravaged nation, a top official said on Monday.
India, which re-opened its embassy in Kabul last month, would soon appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan and establish a $100 million line of credit to help the war-ravaged nation, a top official said on Monday.
"We will be appointing an ambassador soon and become one of the first countries to do it," S.K. Lambah, New Delhi's special envoy to Afghanistan, told a Confederation of Indian Industry business summit session on rebuilding the nation.
India, an old ally of the Northern Alliance, which edged out the purist Taliban rulers from Kabul, is gearing to play a major role with the United Front interim government, several of whose key members are part of the alliance.
Training in software, a field in which India was a global leader, would form part of a $100 million line of credit New Delhi had offered to Afghanistan, Lambah said.
Industry officials said that the aid was mainly expected to cover such training or sourcing of products from India while humanitarian aid was expected to be separate.
New Delhi, which formally opened an embassy in Kabul on December 22, plans to set up consulates in the cities of Jalalabad, Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.
India has already started humanitarian assistance, chiefly medical aid, at Kabul, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.
"As soon as the situation improves, it would also be sent to cities like Kandahar and Jalalabad," said Lambah, who brainstormed with businessmen on trade prospects in Afghanistan.
India also plans to help build schools and revive university education in Afghanistan, besides helping Indian businessmen export products like sugar.
Lambah said that civilian flights to Kabul were expected to resume soon once the repairs to the city's airport were completed.
The envoy said that Iran's private Mahan Airline had already agreed to start civilian flights, while Afghanistan's Ariana Airline would start flights after it acquired the necessary resources.
State-owned Indian Airlines is also expected to start flights to Kabul, but its decision will be taken on commercial grounds. "We are keen to permit any airline which wants to go to Kabul," Lambah said. Bureau Report
"We will be appointing an ambassador soon and become one of the first countries to do it," S.K. Lambah, New Delhi's special envoy to Afghanistan, told a Confederation of Indian Industry business summit session on rebuilding the nation.
India, an old ally of the Northern Alliance, which edged out the purist Taliban rulers from Kabul, is gearing to play a major role with the United Front interim government, several of whose key members are part of the alliance.
Training in software, a field in which India was a global leader, would form part of a $100 million line of credit New Delhi had offered to Afghanistan, Lambah said.
Industry officials said that the aid was mainly expected to cover such training or sourcing of products from India while humanitarian aid was expected to be separate.
New Delhi, which formally opened an embassy in Kabul on December 22, plans to set up consulates in the cities of Jalalabad, Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.
India has already started humanitarian assistance, chiefly medical aid, at Kabul, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.
"As soon as the situation improves, it would also be sent to cities like Kandahar and Jalalabad," said Lambah, who brainstormed with businessmen on trade prospects in Afghanistan.
India also plans to help build schools and revive university education in Afghanistan, besides helping Indian businessmen export products like sugar.
Lambah said that civilian flights to Kabul were expected to resume soon once the repairs to the city's airport were completed.
The envoy said that Iran's private Mahan Airline had already agreed to start civilian flights, while Afghanistan's Ariana Airline would start flights after it acquired the necessary resources.
State-owned Indian Airlines is also expected to start flights to Kabul, but its decision will be taken on commercial grounds. "We are keen to permit any airline which wants to go to Kabul," Lambah said. Bureau Report