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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Indian Prime Minister to visit Afghanistan |
| 2005-08-24 |
| NEW DELHI - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Afghanistan from Sunday, marking the first visit there by an Indian leader in nearly three decades, it was announced on Tuesday. The last such visit was when Indira Gandhi visited Kabul in 1976. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said Singh during his two day visit will hold talks with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and other leaders on India’s assistance programme to the country as well as the regional situation. India is helping the war ravaged country’s reconstruction and is involved in transportation, roads and power transmission projects as well as rebuilding of mosques in the country. The Indian premier will also call on Baba-e-Millat (Father of nation), former King Zahir Shah. During Singh’s visit, King Zahir Shah would lay the foundation stone for Afghan Parliament building, to be constructed with India’s assistance. Singh and Karzai will hand over an elite school, the Habibia School, renovated under India’s assistance programme, to Afghan authorities. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #8 a vise mabe? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-24 21:48 |
| #7 Where's the picture of pincers, when? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2005-08-24 21:35 |
| #6 They're trying to buy influence and garner resources (oil, gas, minerals etc) just like China (though China is much better at this game). |
| Posted by: john 2005-08-24 12:04 |
| #5 Maybe if India let other 3rd world countries borrow money, then maybe India won't be considered as a 3rd world country. Riiiight! |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2005-08-24 11:10 |
| #4 So now India can join the 'flush money down the toilet' club too. Glad |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-08-24 09:12 |
| #3 An article from 2003 India Switches from Borrower to International Lender India has joined a pool of lenders to the International Monetary Fund for the first time. It has also told 22 small donor countries that it will not accept aid in the future. India's Central Bank said the International Monetary Fund has selected India to become a member of its Financial Transaction Plan, which helps bail out poor countries in financial trouble. The Central Bank said the decision was prompted by India's strong foreign exchange reserves of around $82 billion. The step comes on the heels of another significant decision. Last month, India told 22 small donor nations that it will stop taking aid on a government-to-government basis once existing programs are complete. However, New Delhi will continue to receive loans from the World Bank and large donors such as United States, Britain and Japan. But India has begun restructuring its $54 billion debt to pay off its more expensive loans early. It has also doubled its own $600 million aid budget, adding African countries to its existing list of Asian recipients. |
| Posted by: john 2005-08-24 08:15 |
| #2 India has an assistance program? They're moving into the big leagues! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-08-24 07:48 |
| #1 This aught to put a knot in the Paki'd knickers! |
| Posted by: raptor 2005-08-24 06:33 |