Afghan President Hamid Karzai will try to secure more military aid in talks with Indian leaders on Tuesday as he looks to beef up his security forces after international troops pull out next year.
Karzai is to hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee after accepting an honorary degree on Monday night from the Lovely Professional University in the northern state of Punjab.
The Afghan leader used his acceptance speech to thank India for its support since he came to power in 2001 after the fall of the Taliban.
“India, as a friend of Afghanistan, has made an immense contribution in uplifting its youths,” he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.
“India has contributed US$2 billion from the hard-earned money of its taxpayers for the betterment of Afghanistan.”
India’s support for Karzai is a reflection of its desire to ensure that the departure of US and other foreign forces next year does not lead to the return of the radical Islamist Taliban to power in Kabul.