INDIA COMMITTED TO PUL-I-KHUMRI, INTERESTED IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000395

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID IN AF
SUBJECT: INDIA COMMITTED TO PUL-I-KHUMRI, INTERESTED IN
COLLABORATING ON OTHER PROJECTS IN AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt, Reason 1.5 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: On January 12, MEA Joint Secretary
(Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran) Arun K Singh and newly
appointed Ambassador to Afghanistan Rakesh Sood provided an
update on Indian projects in Afghanistan, noting proudly that
with the exception of the Parliament building and the
Pul-i-Khumri to Kabul power transmission line, all projects
sponsored by the GOI were either under construction or
nearing completion. India remains committed to finishing the
Pul-i-Khumri electric transmission line, and understands its
importance for Afghanistan's long-term development, Singh
said, promising that he would encourage financial approval
for the project with a view to starting construction in April
(with a roughly two-three year completion time). The GOI
would be open to new projects in Afghanistan, including those
carried out in cooperation with the US. Transit rights
through Pakistan would allow the GOI to do more. End Summary.

India Committed to Pul-i-Khumri
--------------


2. (C) The Pul-i-Khumri to Kabul transmission line is "still
something India is prepared to do," Singh stated, noting that
an Indian team had already done a survey of the site and that
the project would soon go before the Indian cabinet for
financial approval. He promised to push for approval during
the winter months, when construction cannot take place, and
speculated that if all goes well, work could begin in April.
Singh said he would encourage a planning team to go to
Afghanistan, even while New Delhi was deciding on the
funding, so that work could proceed as quickly as possible.
He estimated that the project would take two-three years to
complete, once work begins.


3. (C) Asked about obstacles to the Pul-i-Khumri project,
Singh replied that Taliban and Northern Alliance mines remain
in the area, and hoped the US could provide assistance in
this area. The mountainous terrain presents another
obstacle, he said. Newly appointed Ambassador to Afghanistan
Rakesh Sood remarked on the lack of transit rights through
Pakistan. If Indian equipment is allowed to transit
Pakistan, "maybe we can get somewhere" on the Pul-i-Khumri
line, he mused, noting the high cost of shipping Indian
equipment via Iran. Pakistan may not be ready for normal
transit or trade, but this equipment is for aid, he stated,
encouraging the US to raise the issue with Pakistan. Sood
told us that India would also appreciate US airlift
assistance as necessary to move equipment through mountainous
terrain.


4. (C) PolCouns underlined the importance of the
Pul-i-Khumri project for the immediate and long-term
development of Afghanistan, and encouraged Singh to come back
to us with ideas to move the project ahead as quickly as
possible. Singh said that India understands the importance
of the Pul-i-Khumri line, and noted that the Afghan
government had also stressed the significance of the project
in bilateral meetings. "We understand that this is priority
number one," because it would bring power to Kabul, he
stated.

US-India Collaboration
--------------


5. (C) Singh stated that as a non-traditional donor, India
is "certainly stretched" by providing aid to Afghanistan, but
said New Delhi is open to new ideas for projects, as all the
current projects are nearing completion. The GOI hopes to
focus on institution building and training programs for the
Afghan government, and would like to broaden bilateral
interaction to include education and health.


6. (C) Sood emphasized the need to find projects on which
the US and India could collaborate, noting that there are not
enough projects where "India can be seen working closely with
the US." PolCouns noted USAID Administrator Natsios' earlier
discussion on US-India collaboration in Afghanistan, and
stressed the need for greater information sharing on on-going
Indian projects there through our missions in Kabul. Sood
also encouraged the idea of direct contacts between Indian
consulates in Afghanistan and the relevant US PRTs.


7. (SBU) Singh provided an update on other on-going projects
in Afghanistan, saying that:

-- Construction teams and equipment for the Zaranj-Delaram
road have been on the ground since December. The project is
expected to take two years to complete;

-- Work is already underway on the Salma Dam and will be
completed within four years;

-- Indian builders have completed construction of cold
storage food warehouses in Khandahar;

-- Construction on the Habibia school will be completed in
2005;

-- Renovation of the Indira Gandhi hospital will be completed
by March or April;

-- India still plans to construct a new building for the
Afghan parliament, but the Afghan government has not yet
selected land for the project. According to Singh, "the ball
is in the Afghan court."

Uncomfortable With Taliban Rehabilitation
--------------


8. (C) India remains "very uncomfortable" with the idea of
Taliban rehabilitation, Singh stated, arguing that even if
they were not involved in the atrocities of Taliban rule,
former Taliban adherents still subscribed to a radical
Islamic ideology. Now is the time to build up moderate
leaders, he argued, speculating that rehabilitated Taliban
would seek to "fill the leadership vacuum in Pashtun areas."


9. (U) Minimize considered.
MULFORD