PM leaving for Afghanistan tomorrow
11 May 2011
Prime minister Manmohan Singh is leaving for Afghanistan tomorrow to reaffirm India's commitment to Kabul, in the backdrop of US plans to draw down its troops in the country.
He is scheduled to hold talks with president Hamid Karzai and announce a new aid package for the country.
The dates of the prime minister's visit had to be altered due to security concerns following the killing of Osama bin Laden, official sources said today.
The US is scheduled to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July, following which security in the country will be handed over to Afghan forces. NATO plans to pull troops out by 2014.
"I will be leaving on an official visit to Afghanistan at the invitation of His Excellency President Hamid Karzai. My visit to Afghanistan is in keeping with the healthy tradition of regular high level exchanges between our two countries," the prime minister told reporters on the eve of his departure.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai was in India in February 2011.