NSA Ajit Doval, Russian security chief hold talks on Afghanistan

Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, General Nikolay Patrushev, is on a two-day visit to India on the invitation of NSA Ajit Doval for talks on Afghanistan. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation from different ministries and departments.

“Russia-India consultations on security issues have started in New Delhi. Russia's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev is meeting with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval,” the Russian embassy tweeted.

The India-Russia Intergovernmental Consultations on Afghanistan are a follow-up to the telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin on August 24 following the developments in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have seized power and formed their government.

The two leaders had expressed the view that it was important for the two strategic partners to work together and instructed their senior officials to remain in touch on Afghanistan, said an official statement.

Doval, welcoming the Russian delegation at the beginning of the talks, said that this is a very special meeting being held as “a follow up to the telephonic talk that Prime Minister Modi had with President Putin, and we attach great importance to this meeting”.

Patrushev will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Earlier, Indian Ambassador to Russia, Venkatesh Varma, said that the situation in Afghanistan is a matter of concern for the entire region and both India and Russia have been affected by the developments there.

The Afghan issue, including the question of recognising the Taliban regime, will be discussed during talks between Doval and Patrushev,

"The situation in Afghanistan is a matter of concern for the entire region. India and Russia were affected by the development of events. And what is happening poses a threat to the interests of both countries - from the point of view of the possible activation of terrorist groups, the growth of drug trafficking, organized crime, and refugee flows," he said in an interview to Ria Novosti.

"At the same time, it is important to emphasize that after the departure of the coalition, a significant number of modern weapons are now in the hands of many armed groups," the Indian envoy said.