NEW DELHI, May 21: India is planning to set up an agricultural university in Kandahar among its proposed projects in Afghanistan but visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai was reported on Tuesday to have sought more military aid from New Delhi, a prospect that has split Indian analysts and defied predictions.

Mr Karzai’s meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Tuesday coincided with the arrival in Tashkent of Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari, both events closely linked with next year’s momentous calendar for Kabul, where the drawdown of US contingents is expected to coincide with crucial and potentially nerve-wracking elections.

Mr Karzai’s spokesman, Aimal Faizi, said last week that the Afghan leader would ask for “all kinds of assistance from India in order to strengthen our military and security institutions”.

Reports quoting Indian foreign ministry officials said the discussions could cover a potential arms deal between the two countries.

“India is ready to meet any request that would strengthen Afghan security institutions,” one of the officials was quoted as saying.

At present India has been training a limited number of Afghan military officers for years at its military institutions, but has provided little weapons assistance except for some vehicles. Will this aid intensify?

“Afghanistan has been a fatal trap for foreign countries that risked to venture there,” said Professor Pushpesh Pant who has taught international relations at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.

“They included the British, the mighty Soviet Union and the powerful United States and its Nato allies. Even Pakistan has paid dearly for coveting a role, which is not too dissimilar to the one being offered to India by Mr Karzai. Clearly, India should desist from getting embroiled there in any military sense.”

Writing in The Hindu at the weekend, former Indian ambassador in Kabul Vivek Katju said New Delhi should do everything to shore up Afghanistan’s security.

“As part of India’s support, the India-Afghanistan strategic partnership agreement should be implemented in all areas, including defence and security, without refracting it through the prism of our relations with any other country,” the former Indian ambassador wrote.

Mr Karzai, speaking on Monday night as he accepted an honorary degree from a university in the northern state of Punjab, thanked 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 said. “India has contributed $2 billion from the hard-earned money of its taxpayers for the betterment of Afghanistan.”