Pentagon asked to identify increased role for India in Afghanistan

Washington, June 30:  A key US Senate panel has asked the Pentagon to identify ways for India to play a larger role in providing increased and coordinated defence-related support to Afghanistan.

US Senator Dan Sullivan presented a resolution in this regard on Thursday and it was passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee as part of the the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA-2018). The committee authorised $640 billion in critical defence spending for Fiscal Year 2018. 

"This provision encourages the Department of Defence to identify ways that India can play a larger role in providing increased and coordinated defence-related support to Afghanistan, a critical part of overcoming the current 'stalemate' in the fight against the Taliban," said a statement by the office of Sullivan. 

"Encourage Increased Role for India in Afghanistan" was one of the 24 amendments unanimously passed by the Senate committee.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary James Mattis called on NATO allies to "finish the job in Afghanistan" or risk "terrorist revenge" as the alliance confirmed a troop increase to counter a resurgent Taliban.

"The bottom line is that NATO has made a commitment to Afghanistan for freedom from fear and terror, and freedom from terror demands that you can't let this be undone," he added. 

The US, which once had more than 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, is preparing a new strategy for a war which has dragged on for 16 years and which even US generals concede is a "stalemate" at best.