Indo-Afghan relations: How India is helping rebuild Afghanistan

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday announced that India and Afghanistan have agreed to launch a New Development Partnership through which the countries will jointly implement 116 "high impact" development projects across Afghanistan.

This decision comes shortly after US President Donald Trump suggestion to the Modi government to improve India's socio-economic footprint in Afghanistan.

According to the terms of the partnership, India will aid Afghanistan in infrastructural projects such as constructing dams, roads, and power transmission lines, among other things. These projects will not only be in the Afghanistan's capital Kabul, but also in 31 provinces across the country.

In addition to this, India and Afghanistan signed a Motor Vehicles Agreement for the regulation of passenger, personal and cargo vehicular traffic, which would provide the necessary infrastructure for much-needed overland transit. India will also help build affordable housing for refugees.

Here's a glimpse of 5 of the significant 116 'high impact' infrastructural projects India will assist with

Shahtoot Dam and Drinking Water Facilities

Along with Afghanistan's Water Department, India will help in constructing the dam. World Bank too has expressed its interest in the dam's development. Costing USD 260 million, the dam will be built on Kabul River, helping the Kabul residents overcome the shortage of clean drinking water. This is not the first time India has expressed interest in constructing a dam in Afghanistan. In order to strengthen ties, in 2016 the two countries joined hands in building the 'Friendship Dam' aiming to irrigate over 75,000 hectares of land and generate 42 MW of power.

Apart from dams, India will help in building a strong water supply network for Charikar city.

Roads

India is helping Afghanistan construct a 218-km long road from Zaranj to Delaram in order to facilitate movement of goods and services to the Iranian border. This will help Afghanistan engage in international trade and develop its own economy.

Power 

The construction of a 220kV DC transmission line and a 220/110/20 kV sub-station at Chimtala will also be done with India's help.

Communication

India will assist in upgrading telephone exchanges in 11 of Afghanistan's provinces and expanding its national TV network. This will be done by providing an uplink from Kabul and downlinks in all 34 provincial capitals for greater integration of the country.

Enhancing on-going projects

India will continue in helping the nation develop its health, education, and other human resource developments. Apart from providing housing to refugees, India will help in building a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif, and a gypsum board manufacturing plant in Kabul so that value-added industry is promoted, along with the other projects.

(Source: Embassy of India, Kabul)