India, Russia share concerns over Afghanistan
By IANSMonday, February 1, 2010
NEW DELHI - Ahead of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s visit in March, India and Russia Monday held talks to expand counter-terror cooperation and exchanged views on Afghanistan in the wake of a proposal for reconciliation with the Taliban.
National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon held talks with Nikolay Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, on a wide range of security issues.
Patrushev also called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed steps to consolidate nuclear cooperation in the wake of the umbrella nuclear accord initialled during the prime minister’s trip to Moscow in December last year.
The nuclear accord is expected to be formally signed during Putin’s first trip to India as prime minister of Russia in March.
Menon and Patrushev discussed enhanced intelligence-sharing between the agencies of the two countries, an area that has seen greater cooperation between the two strategic partners since the Nov 26-29, 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The fluid situation in Afghanistan, in whose peace and stability both India and Russia have vital stakes, figured prominently in the discussions.
The two top national security officials debated the implications of the proposal endorsed at the London conference last week for reintegrating the Taliban in the political mainstream of Afghanistan for the security of the two countries.
Both India and Russia are not comfortable with accommodating the Taliban in any power-sharing arrangement in Afghanistan and have resented any distinction between the so-called good and bad Taliban.
India and Russia have been inching closer in their assessment of the situation in Afghanistan and believe that the Taliban are linked to Al Qaeda and pose a threat to regional stability and security.
The two countries had backed the Northern Alliance that ousted the Taliban regime late 2001 and are opposed to any arrangement that may lead to the Taliban reclaiming power in Afghanistan.
Besides international terrorism and Afghanistan, the two officials also discussed a host of bilateral issues, including civil nuclear cooperation and defence cooperation, a pillar of the India-Russia partnership.
Moscow continues to supply over 60 percent of India’s military hardware requirements.
Patrushev is the first foreign NSA to visit New Delhi since Menon assumed charge about a week ago.
Patrushev’s trip will be followed by that of Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin to India, expected around mid-February.
These visits will set the state for Putin’s trip to India in March.
