`India committed to development work in Afghanistan`

New Delhi, Oct 9(PTI) A day after its embassy in Kabul was
attacked by a suicide bomber, an undeterred India Friday said
it is committed to development work in Afghanistan, which
needs such assistance to serve the cause of democracy in the
war-ravaged country.
"India believes that cause of democracy and peace in
Afghanistan can be best served through development programmes
which the Afghan Government and people need most urgently,"
India's Minister of State for External Affairs Parneet Kaur
said here in Indian national capital New Delhi.
Noting that India has already carried out several major
infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, she said the country
has "committed" itself to provide such assistance estimated at
USD 1.2 billion.
A suicide bomber Thursday blew up an explosives-laden car
outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul, killing 12 people and
injuring 83, including three ITBP (Indo Tibetan Border Police)
personnel, in the second attack on the mission in over a year.
Addressing an Indo-EU forum seminar, Kaur also sought
enhanced cooperation between India and the European Union in
tackling the "biggest challenge" of terrorism.
"India and the EU need to address the menace of terrorism
with coordination and cooperation," she said hoping that the
summit meeting between the two sides next month here will
"further concretise" their strategic ties. (MORE) PTI