AFGHANISTAN'S INDIA INTERESTS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001912 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL AF SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN'S INDIA INTERESTS Classified By: Political Counselor Annie Pforzheimer reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. Senior officials described the Afghan relationship with India as the best in recent history but noted the constraints imposed by Pakistan's fear of encirclement. They noted the extensive Indian assistance programs now underway in Afghanistan, and had no suggested recommendations for any new activities. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Deputy Ambassador Ricciardone met with National Security Advisor (NSA) Zalmay Rasool and Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Spanta on July 12 and 13, and PolCouns met with Indian Deputy Charge d'Affaires Akhilesh Mishra on July ¶14. In each meeting we asked for views towards India's role in Afghanistan in anticipation of Secretary Clinton's visit to the region. -------------- Close ties, but an uneasy common neighbor -------------- ¶3. (SBU) NSA Rasool said Afghanistan was enjoying the best relationship with India in recent history. Afghanistan viewed India as an ideal model, as they share a culturally diverse population, a vast poor population, and significant cultural and linguistic ties, yet have obtained significant success both economically and democratically. He also noted their ideal model of peace and tolerance, even in a complicated multi-ethnic context. He said they enjoy broad, politically non-partisan Indian support for Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Spanta was equally effusive, stating that relations were "excellent" and that only Pakistan's "lack of confidence" kept the two countries from becoming even closer; Charge Mishra said he experienced the "most spontaneous and genuine affection" from the Afghan people he had ever felt after serving in five continents as a diplomat. ¶4. (S) Rasool said the only issue Afghanistan has with India is Pakistan's paranoia about the Indian presence in Afghanistan, in particular the misinformation regarding re-opening of consulates in Khandahar and Jalalabad and the "Indian agents" working from them. As far as he knows, Rasool said, the Indians have very limited intelligence activities in Afghanistan and India has never asked Afghanistan to work with them against Pakistan in any way. However, he noted that India continues to worry about a destabilized Pakistan, and extremist Islamic movements within their own population. ¶5. (C) Spanta put his opinion bluntly: the best thing that India could do for us is to reduce the level of tension it has with Pakistan. If their borders were opened to trade, the fruits and other products that Afghanistan currently exports by air or indirect sea routes could get to a vibrant Indian market directly. -------------- -------------- Indian Assistance Vital, Substantial and Targeted -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) Rasool, Spanta and Charge Mishra all noted that India's foreign assistance programs were very successful--$1.5 billion dollars invested directly in Afghanistan in the form of roads, schools and hospitals in the past five years, successful education programs, including 500 higher education scholarships and the 500 vocational training scholarships a year which is increasing to 675 each as of 2009. India recently signed a deal to build an agriculture university in Kabul, and will also provide solar panels to power satellite television in remote communities, in order to link well-trained teachers to the most remote parts of Afghanistan--a tool also used in India. Charge Mishra said that five medical missions in Afghanistan saw 30,000 patients a month. Meanwhile, Rasool said, private Afghans with means increasingly send their children to Indian schools and travel to India for medical care. ¶7. (C) From all accounts, and according to Embassy information, there is no significant Indian assistance to Afghan security forces or police. A senior MOI official did travel to New Delhi last month but there is no reported outcome of that visit. Charge Mishra said they did fund some one-by-one military training to Afghans, all conducted in India, but understood the sensitivity of being too visible in this area--a sentiment the Afghan officials echoed. -------------- Reconciliation: One Bone of Contention? -------------- ¶8. (C) India's reaction to any substantive outreach to senior KABUL 00001912 002 OF 002 Taliban figures will bear watching. Charge Mishra said that this is one area he cannot agree with GOIRA policy; "you cannot calibrate the Taliban, there are no moderates." He did differentiate between Afghans who were disaffected with their government and might be under Taliban influence, who are reconcilable, but objected strongly to any outreach to Mullah Omar. If this is an official GOI position, then they might actively oppose any de-listing of Taliban from UNSCR ¶1267. EIKENBERRY