India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan FM Salahuddin Rabbani in New Delhi

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani met in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Sunday on the sidelines of the first India-Central Asia Dialogue. This is the first meeting between both the ministers this year.

According to a release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, "Swaraj reaffirmed her country's commitment towards Afghanistan". During the meet "both sides exchanged views on the dynamics of the peace talks, the Afghan-leadership and ownership element of the peace process and regional cooperation."

The meet comes in the backdrop of the Afghan National Security Advisory (NSA) Hamdullah Mohib and US Special Representative of Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad's visit to New Delhi.

Mohib met his Indian counterpart NSA Ajit Doval and appreciated the assistance provided by India for economic development and reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Zalmay, during his maiden visit to India after assuming the post, met Swaraj and Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale. During the meetings, India briefed Zalmay about Pakistan's destabilising role and according to MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, "made it very clear that peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan should be Afghan owned, Afghan led and Afghan controlled".

A number of developments have happened with respect to Afghan's peace process with US media reports suggesting Washington is keen to withdraw a certain number of forces from the country. 

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's neighbours along with Moscow and Washington, but barring India, have also been engaging with Taliban. India as a policy does not engage with Taliban but did participate at a non-official level at Moscow talks on Afghanistan last year in which the group was also present.

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India had briefed Zalmay about Pakistan’s destabilising role and according to MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, made it very clear that peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan should be Afghan owned, Afghan led and Afghan controlled.