E-Paper | July 13, 2026

US national security adviser discusses Afghanistan in India

AP Published
US Lt. General H.R McMaster shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. ─AFP
US Lt. General H.R McMaster shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. ─AFP
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President Donald Trump's national security adviser discussed the situation in Afghanistan with India's prime minister on Tuesday, nearly a week after the US military dropped a massive non-nuclear bomb in the country that it said killed 95 militants.

HR McMaster's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the first visit by a Trump administration official to India, a key ally in Asia.

The US Embassy said that the two also discussed ways to increase defence and counter-terrorism cooperation, and McMaster assured Modi of India's status as a major defence partner in the global fight against terrorism.

Indian TV stations broadcast images of McMaster and Modi, each flanked by officials, sitting together at Modi's home in the Indian capital.

McMaster also held two-hour-long talks with his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval.

The talks with Indian officials also focused on the security situation in the region and Trump's Afghan strategy.

New Delhi wants Washington to pressure Pakistan to stop its support for Taliban militants and act against them.

McMaster's visit to New Delhi was a part of regional consultations that included stops in Kabul and Islamabad.

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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 03:14pm
Out line of USA policy for Afghanistan, It starts with dropping of mother of all bombs on IS hideouts a key demand from Islamabad followed by visit of NSA to Kabul then to Islamabad and finally to New Delhi. This much is all clear rest we will see in coming days. Best of luck
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Bilal
Apr 18, 2017 03:14pm
India don't share any of its border with Afghanistan. Wonder why USA is keen to indulge India in Afgan affairs. Everyone know India is using Afghanistan against Pakistan.
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mullahdopiazza
Apr 18, 2017 03:24pm
@Bilal : India is a major player in Afghanistan peace process , because that's what Afghanistan wants. Without India's participation, nothing will happen in the sub-continent.
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Balaji
Apr 18, 2017 03:27pm
@Bilal Because India is Afghanistans favourite country through our numerous selfless Infrastructure projects for our Afgan brother's and sister. Google it for yourself.
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John
Apr 18, 2017 03:30pm
@Bilal - Start to recognize the rising clout of India. Learn to adjust with the new reality and new World order. The sooner you open your eyes the better for you.
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shawon
Apr 18, 2017 03:37pm
@mullahdopiazza Without India's participation a lot of things already happened in the subcontinent. And still a lot of things are going to happen minusing India.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad
Apr 18, 2017 03:42pm
How about the the core issue of the on-going brutalities, killings, crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetuated, designed and carried-out by the invading Indian army in the India-held Jammu and Kashmir since last 70 years?
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 03:43pm
@mullahdopiazza well India is major player in Afghanistan for sure totally agree but in PEACE PROCESS I really doubt...Sorry for my limited knowledge
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CHAUDHURY
Apr 18, 2017 03:44pm
Does US share any broader with Afghans? Powerful and potential doers are given importance
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 03:45pm
@Balaji Sir nothing comes free as there is no concept of free lunches. I wonder India is not able to settle and give rights to and win hearts of people of Kashmir how come it succeeded doing the same in Afghanistan
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 03:47pm
@CHAUDHURY Well no USA does not share border with Afghanistan but USA attacked Afghanistan in 2001 so USA has the responsibility to settle the country. There is something called logic I think
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M.S.PATIL
Apr 18, 2017 03:47pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad For that you have to do something ...other countries don't have time. They are busy with their problems.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 03:49pm
@mullahdopiazza Well we also have belief on this very fact that "without Indian participation nothing happens in subcontinent". We already say that what so ever is going on in Pakistan India is responsible thanks for agreeing and accepting our point of view
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 03:51pm
@M.S.PATIL Sir we need not to do anything for them they know how to fight for their rights. Kashmir is very important for people of Kashmir no matter world is busy one day they will success as they are fighting for just cause. We just support their legitimate demands as humans
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Sohail Gem Wazir
Apr 18, 2017 03:54pm
India using Afghanistan's soil against Pakistan. It shows America is not in favor of peace in Afghanistan.
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Sohail Gem Wazir
Apr 18, 2017 04:07pm
Kashmir issue needs to be discussed here. Kashmir issue is really necessary to be resolved. Peace in subcontinent couldn't possible without Kashmir issue solution and Peace in Afghanistan could be prevail whenever foreign troops leave Afghanistan. It's Afghans who is to decide what's better for them not India, USA.
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Shiraz
Apr 18, 2017 04:08pm
@mullahdopiazza, BALAJI. And John - Wait for the government after US leaves Afghanistan.
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satya
Apr 18, 2017 04:18pm
@Bilal , US does?
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Raj Bahadur
Apr 18, 2017 04:20pm
@Nomi Goraya ....Well, not for nothing.....India is a very responsible country....We don't believe in "Use it or Lose it" theory.
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Zak
Apr 18, 2017 04:21pm
'New Delhi wants Washington to pressure Pakistan to stop its support for Taliban militants and act against them.' Pakistan wants US to pressure India into holding UN plebiscite in Kashmir and to stop funding TTP to carry out terrorism on pakistani civilians.
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Zak
Apr 18, 2017 04:24pm
By the picture it Looks like Modi got an earful and Macmaster enjoyed giving that earful. Indian brutality in IOK will decrease and Loc violations will stop.
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ishfaq ahmed bughio
Apr 18, 2017 04:24pm
USA is trying to mix oranges with apple.Pakistan China , Russia and Iran is a rising a new alliance and for sure, USA must be frustrated.Afghanistan and Pakistan's peace is relying upon each other and Why Pakistan will bear its enemy India on western border?Afghanistan must understand the ground reality and try to establish better relations with Pakistan rather to accept dictation.
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Azmeen
Apr 18, 2017 04:27pm
@John But you are behaving like a small reactionary child when responding to Bilal's comment. Your reaction makes India look smaller.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 04:28pm
@Raj Bahadur Well sir India is very consistent in its support for non state actors from Mukti Bahni to Bloch groups to TTP. India has accepted for the latter two and does not hide much about TTP. So this is what you call a responsible country ?
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Azmeen
Apr 18, 2017 04:28pm
@mullahdopiazz India is also major sponsor of terrorism in Pakistan.
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SRKhan, Chitral
Apr 18, 2017 04:35pm
It is good that McMaster has gone to Dehli, where he should discuss Kashmir issue, including the brutalities of the India forces, the torture of the innocent Kashmiris and the recent trend of using youth as human-sheild by India forces.
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narendran
Apr 18, 2017 04:46pm
The rising clout of India is underlined here.
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Rohail
Apr 18, 2017 04:49pm
Modi losing Kashmir!
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SID
Apr 18, 2017 05:01pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Dr , your comment is looking incomplete without the word movers & shakers.
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South Asia
Apr 18, 2017 05:06pm
@shawon That is exactly the reason why China is desperate to get India on board OBOR scheme. Because, like a past Dawn article, OBOR cannot show its full potential without the biggest market in Asia.
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Raunak
Apr 18, 2017 05:06pm
@Nomi Goraya .. WHat logic is that? If someone invades a nation, it becomes the responsibility of the invading nation to settle peace. Never heard before
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NP
Apr 18, 2017 05:14pm
@Rohail, Kashmir belongs to India and to the Indians. Modi is only a Indian Prime minister. 1.2 Billion Indians will never allow to lose Kashmir.
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Rebirth
Apr 18, 2017 05:16pm
India is a world power because 33% of the world's "extremely poor" live there, only 20% have 'some' sanitation, 50% of them have never seen electricity while the others only get it intermittently, they have a per capita income of a whopping $1,600, and have a debt-GDP ratio of close to 70%, highest gender-specific foeticide cases in the world causing them to have the most construed population in the world with far less women than men, the world's second highest population per sqkm., making them one of the world's most claustrophobic nations on Earth, and finally, they have more attacks per year than even nations in actual wars because of secessionist movements in the seven-sister states and other parts of the country where they also have an ongoing Maoist insurgency that has essentially enveloped a third of their country and made it a no-go area.
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AJIT
Apr 18, 2017 05:27pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad. This is your opinion. Unfortunately no body else shares the same view. And your opinion alone does not matter.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 05:31pm
@Raunak Well logic is very clear as USA was not typical invader rather as per her claims he took the responsibility from UN to purge Afghanistan from terrorist and liberate them from Taliban rule as at that time it was said that Afghanistan has become center for planning terrorist attacks in world and Afghans are living miserable lives. So as per mandate USA need to settle Afghanistan and make sure that it is no more launching pad for terrorist attacks in world. Was it that difficult to understand?
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Syed H
Apr 18, 2017 05:34pm
@Raunak"WHat logic is that? If someone invades a nation, it becomes the responsibility of the invading nation to settle peace. Never heard before" It is bad enough that they are so self-righteous and, going by their comments on atrocities in Kashmir, so inhumane, but why do the Indians who come here have to be so historically ignorant too? Look, just take a quick glance at world history since the second world war and note the countries that the US has invaded, and then note how it often then goes on to create the reality that then follows in that country (Japan, West Germany, South Korea, etc, and Iraq and Afghanistan in our times). Whether just or not, that is the "logic" of the sole superpower of our age; indeed, the right to do as you please with places you invade has been the prerogative of great powers down the ages. But then, to be fair, since India has never been a great power, or even been a nation till very recently, not being conversant with such realities is no surprise.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 05:35pm
@AJIT If something is right it does not matter that it is agreed by millions as in the end right will prevail and it will be accepted
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IMTIAZ ALI KHAN
Apr 18, 2017 05:39pm
Others are coming to cause more division between brothers neighbors and family. Sorry we don't want US, we IndoPak will solve our problems ourselves. IndoPak Blood Brothers 4 Life!
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Rajput
Apr 18, 2017 05:46pm
@Rebirth and inspire of all this we are moving forward and at rapid pace...Just wait on watch..India was a global power in ancient times and it will be again...We will make it happen..We believe in ourselves...
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IMTIAZ ALI KHAN
Apr 18, 2017 05:56pm
@Rajput I'm praying for it too, love you India so much :) Inshallah! We will do the same for Pakistan, love to Pak Land my Indus Valley :) Inshallah! Indopak Blood Brothers 4 Life!
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alok
Apr 18, 2017 06:21pm
@Rebirth : Please visit bangalore, hyderabad, chennai , Trivandrum , Pune , Panaji and Noida. Please open your eyes and learn.
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more
Apr 18, 2017 06:34pm
USA should discuss its historic role as a mujahideen maker against soviets and now pampering puppet regime in afghanistan and hindutva in india to work against muslims interests.The notion of trump working for upliftment of his own countrymen is deflated here as the country sticks to its old war policies and loot and plunder and destruction.US establishment needed a much angry brainless guy and Trump fits that role.A danger for world peace.
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Oommen
Apr 18, 2017 06:48pm
@Rebirth - Many Indians may be poor - but at-least they live in a democracy.
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Javed Afghan
Apr 18, 2017 06:51pm
Things are getting ugly for Pakistani government. Trump is going to announce a bad discussion on Pakistan and even Pakistani government knows it in advance. Mostly it will effect normal poor Pakistani citizens which I am against it but Pakistani citizens must pressure their government to act and respect international law and endure & adore it else international community will isolate you. Good luck
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CA
Apr 18, 2017 06:55pm
Come on guys, the meetings main purpose was to sell more US weapons to India. And I am all for it. US can be careless about india's role in Afghanistan.
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N.Sid
Apr 18, 2017 06:55pm
@Oommen How can there be democracy in a caste based society...holding elections is not democracy. It is about equality of humans, pluralism and liberal values...India has an apartheid system with caste based society.
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Abhiraj singh rajput
Apr 18, 2017 06:55pm
@Zak my pakistani friends just go to the Google and search UN Resolution 47 and please read it especially the condition for plebiscite .
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Akram
Apr 18, 2017 07:21pm
@Oommen "Many Indians may be poor - but at-least they live in a democracy." I'm sure the wretched starved find this fact most reassuring.
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azadi dil ki
Apr 18, 2017 07:35pm
@Bilal Even America doesn't share the border with Afghanistan,Are they? It's the impact on the region and world that matters. You can't sit idle when something happens in the world. Because everything is inter connected. India has a great soft power reputation in Afghanistan so India too is important
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M. IRFaN
Apr 18, 2017 07:39pm
@SID doctor is avoiding movers and shakers now a days it seems.
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Joydeep
Apr 18, 2017 07:40pm
@Rebirth - May be you need a re-birth to get wisdom and knowledge! In the age of Google - you are trying to mislead a forum with wrong stats ??
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Bholanath
Apr 18, 2017 08:00pm
The reason behind the discussion of Afganistan matter with India is very simple. Because India is undisputed boss of this subcontinent. Whatever India wants, that will happen.
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Shahid
Apr 18, 2017 08:04pm
@Bholanath ; Oh My! Aren't we full of it???
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Hi
Apr 18, 2017 08:28pm
@Shahid Still the subcontinent is called as Indian subcontinent, it tells everything why India is a need for China or Russia or US.
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Hemant
Apr 18, 2017 08:28pm
@Nomi Goraya Nailed it.
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Sanjay capoor
Apr 18, 2017 08:32pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad keep on repeating old stale dialogue it doesn't change the ground reality
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ASH
Apr 18, 2017 08:42pm
@Nomi Goraya If that is true, do you think CPEC will come as a free lunch?
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Gurpreet Singh
Apr 18, 2017 08:43pm
@Rebirth: You seem to have cherry picked those stats about India which suit your argument. India's per capita income is about 25% more than Pakistan's. India's debt to GDP is about the same as Pakistan's & much lower than US, UK, Japan & many other developed nations. Also, India has high population density but it also has the most cultivable land of all countries in the world. In cherry picking these stats about to India you also seem to have forgotten that India's population is bigger than the total populations of 6 of the 7 continents on the planet.
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Gurpreet Singh
Apr 18, 2017 08:45pm
India is a part of the Afghanistan strategy simply because the Afghans trust India more than any other country on the planet.
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M Wasim K
Apr 18, 2017 08:52pm
@Abhiraj singh rajput Well so it will happen - yes plebiscite and so another break up of the Sub-continent. A slow & gradual BUT a sure process.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 08:55pm
@ASH Well my friend it is not free but it is based on mutual needs and we neither side claimed that it was just a free lunch for the other. China needed access to Arabian Sea as an alternate and bit shorter route Pakistan needed economic investment so both consided. China always supported Pakistan on all international forums not by abusing and blaming some other country but just an honest support. Now can you explain so much Indian love to Afghans? Or it is just LOVE with Pakistan lol
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M Wasim K
Apr 18, 2017 08:56pm
@Akram Democracy or Demo- crazy. People are killed for eating beef in India.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 09:03pm
@ Sanjay capoor keep on repeating old stale dialogue it doesn't change the ground reality. Your statement to you
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Amulya Ratnakar
Apr 18, 2017 09:08pm
@rebirth. dude everything is fine but tell from where do you get your data...are you not exaggerating it a bit...."50% have never seen electricity" is surely not true at all...I think u should try to look and analyse the data from your country only.
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DIL
Apr 18, 2017 09:10pm
@Javed Afghan Those who wanted to Isolate Pakistan have failed miserably even US can't ignore Pakistan's role in Afghanistan and in the region .
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News analysis
Apr 18, 2017 09:12pm
Afghanistan & Pakistan are neighbors, India is not contigous to Afghanistan,or Iran, but India has irk about region as far as S.China Sea, or flirting with Iran.OIC has recently condemned India on human rights violations in Kashmir,and India denied access to OIC fact finding mission to visit Kashmir.OIC may impose Oil and Indians employments,sanctions on India,as a first practical step to warn India.
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Saif ZulfiqaR
Apr 18, 2017 09:17pm
There will never be peace in Afghanistan, if non bordering countries are being involved.,
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zafar
Apr 18, 2017 09:19pm
@Bilal USA, Russia & China don't share border with Afghanistan either. Wonder about them as well.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 09:23pm
@Amulya Ratnakar Look man 79.2% of Indian population is connected with electric grid while 97.5% of Pakistani are connected with electric grid http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS you can see yourself. When it comes to numbers we are better at many places or equal. But if you wan to beat the trumpet of far ahead than Pakistan you are welcomed
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ASH
Apr 18, 2017 09:25pm
@Nomi Goraya Mutual needs need to be converted into mutual benefits. In CPEC case, China is the sole beneficiary. Chinese companies are running the project and controlling the budget. They charge you hefty interest on the loan they have given. They build power plants from the money they have loaned you and demanding at least 25 to 30% return. If they had let Pakistani skilled worker involved from top to bottom then it would have been a different case. That would have made Pakistanis capable running these kind of projects on their own and at the same time would have provided employment opportunities and cultural exchange, which would have been a huge gain down the road, but that is not the case with CPEC investment.
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Nomi Goraya
Apr 18, 2017 09:41pm
@ASH Well thanks for so much concern we have had experience of working with Chinese and this is not the first time. As far as I know that three nuclear plants of Pakistan C1, C2 and C3 working while C4 and C5 in pipe line were built with Chines help but now many thousand skilled and unskilled Pakistani workers are working on them in all domains from technical to just labor may be you people have had bad experience. Even right now all power plants in question main workforce is Pakistani and in the end they will solve one of the biggest stumbling and crippling problem of our economy that is POWER availability. So as far as I can see Pakistan is at best place from economic point of view in this whole balance of CPEC. Additional benefits are real support on all international forums from a veto power and 2nd largest economy and neighbor
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venkob
Apr 18, 2017 10:52pm
@Nomi Goraya there's nothing called free meal. Everything depends on personal needs and friends, foes is just political.
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Zakir hussain
Apr 18, 2017 11:14pm
@Nomi Goraya indeed you Have limited
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Sj
Apr 19, 2017 12:40am
@Oommen Many Indians are poor but they don't leave India for security reasons.
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Sj
Apr 19, 2017 12:44am
@DIL Of course they cannot ignore because nobody can ignore rotten part of body.
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AND Deepa
Apr 19, 2017 01:13am
@Azmeen :Try critical thinking --one more time. If you fail, then give up!
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Hasmat Khan
Apr 19, 2017 01:36am
Afghanistan is not only India's neighbour sharing border with India at Kashmir, but also has civilisational ties. Today India is Afghanistan's partner in development. By spending billions in Afghanistan, India is showing to the world how important and reliable partner is for Afghanistan.
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SID
Apr 19, 2017 01:42am
@Nomi Goraya yes everything is yours but all your precious hardwork and profits are being reaped by Chinese companies. You are forced to buy Chinese which only stunts your growth ( solar power rates in pakistan, India and China is a case study you must undertake to understand this point.
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peace
Apr 19, 2017 02:59am
@Balaji don't know how to reply to you why doesn't India spend money on its people who are under poverty line.please don't get me wrong but at least be up front .
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A. Khan
Apr 19, 2017 03:51am
@Balaji Where were you as a brother when your brothers in sisters in Afghanistan were occupied by Soviet Communist after 1979? Shame on brothers like you.
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Sachin
Apr 19, 2017 04:11am
India has deep strategic relations with Iran and the Iran support Northern Alliance Kabul govt in Afghanistan. Hope everyone finds a peaceful way to live with each other and fights are avoided
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Jammukashmir people
Apr 19, 2017 04:32am
Propensity to kill in your culture too high . You will your brothers and families
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Ajay
Apr 19, 2017 05:39am
@M Wasim K and people killed in mardan University too...
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Hemant
Apr 19, 2017 07:28am
@Gurpreet Singh Funny, only 19% do which are in power by force, rest of AFGs do not. Pakistan has over 5 million refugees and daily thousand cross over. Learn to first consider Indian muslims as nationals then reach out to others.
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niaz khan
Apr 19, 2017 09:01am
@Rebirth .you nail it bro
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Robert
Apr 19, 2017 09:15am
@SRKhan, Chitral Why would he discuss Kashmir with Modi ? US has declared time and time again that Kashmir is a bilateral issues t0 be resolved bilaterly between Pakistan and India..
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Afghan-Pashtun
Apr 19, 2017 01:42pm
India a trusted ally of Afghanistan, thank you India. We will never forget your support for a stable, democrat Afghanistan.
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Anon
Apr 20, 2017 03:17pm
@Rebirth and India is among top five economies.
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Anon
Apr 20, 2017 03:30pm
@peace The amount of money that India spends on welfare programs is much much larger than GDPs of many countries
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Anon
Apr 20, 2017 03:34pm
@News analysis Why should India recognize an organisation which does not include a country with second-largest muslim population in the world.
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Philosopher
Apr 20, 2017 04:42pm
@Bilal Does China share border with Afganistan?
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SAMBHAJI
Apr 20, 2017 06:39pm
@Nomi Goraya 79.2% of Indian population is connected with electric grid while 97.5% of Pakistani are connected 79% of Indians is still 5 times of 97% Pakistanis, and thats a great accomplishment considering the vast expanse of India.
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Balaji
Apr 21, 2017 11:42am
@peace It's called becoming a regional power my good friend.
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