India Supports Regional Process Under UN For Peace in Afghanistan

Voicing "grave concern" over violence and bloodshed in Afghanistan, India said on Tuesday that there is need for a genuine "double peace" in and around Afghanistan and asked the negotiating parties to engage in good faith, with a serious commitment towards reaching a political solution.

Addressing the 9th Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, External AffairsExternal AffairsExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said that India has been supportive of all the efforts being made to accelerate the dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including intra-Afghan negotiations.

"For a durable peace in Afghanistan, what we need is a genuine double peace', that is, peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan. It requires harmonising the interests of all, both within and around that country," Mr Jaishankar told the conference attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and others.