Russian Security Council secretary, CIA chief visit India

India and Russia held their first detailed and extensive review of the situation in Afghanistan involving the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence and security agencies after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. CIA chief Bill Burns too visited India on Tuesday for a meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

The high-level India-Russia Inter-Governmental Consultations on Afghanistan took place during the visit of Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, General Nikolay Patrushev to India. During the consultation, the Indian side was led by NSA Ajit Doval. According to sources, both sides expressed deep concern over developments in Afghanistan.

Patrushev also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the Russian Embassy here, the two discussed a wide range of issues on Russian-Indian cooperation, as well as a number of international topics. “The two sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen coordination in the field of enhancing the regional stability, including on the Afghan direction,” the statement read.

At the meeting with Ajit Doval, there was a convergence of views between the two sides on all major issues and common threats including the need for the Taliban to adhere to the promises they have made; the presence of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan and threats from terrorism to Central Asia and India; Islamic radicalisation and extremism; on the flow of weapons to terrorist groups and smuggling across Afghan borders and the high chances of Afghanistan becoming a hub of opium production and trafficking, sources said.

India emphasised on Pakistan’s links with the Taliban and other international terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, and the special responsibility that Pakistan has to ensure that Afghanistan’s soil is not used to spread terrorism.

India highlighted links of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI with terror groups in Afghanistan such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a source confirmed to ANI.

India expressed concern over the security of minorities including Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan.

The two sides discussed forms of future bilateral cooperation among security agencies, including close coordination, upgrading consultations and exchange of information.

General Nikolay Patrushev also met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

The discussion at CIA chief Burns’ meeting with NSA Doval took into account the situation in Afghanistan post the Taliban takeover and Pakistan’s role in the situation.