Nations must follow India’s aid model: Afghan minister

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj felicitates Afghanistan energy and water minister Ali Ahmad Osmani in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

Reaffirming India’s friendship with Afghanistan, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said the country has always “stood” with the neighbour “in bad times” and will keep standing alongside “like a rock”, as Afghanistan’s energy and water minister Engineer Ali Ahmad Osmani urged other international countries to take note of “Indian government’s cooperation model”.

“The cooperation model of the Indian government is very effective and we hope other countries would see,” Mr Osmani said, adding, “India is the first country to assist Afghanistan in dam and energy projects and we hope the cooperation continues.” Admitting the damage caused to the infrastructure due to terrorism in the country, he added: “Our (Indian and Afghanistan) friendship proves that terrorism cannot stop development, which restarted after change in political conditions in Afghanistan in 2001.”

They were speaking during the felicitation ceremony of Afghan-India friendship dam, popularly known as Salma dam, constructed by India on Harirud river in Chist-e-Sharif province of western Afghanistan. The dam, built by Indian government enterprise Wapcos, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 4 in Herat. It is capable of irrigating about 70,000 hectares of land besides generating 42 MW of power.

Special secretary, water ministry, Amarjeet Singh said, “In the discussions we had with the delegation from Afghanistan, there was acknowledgement from them that while many countries are talking about assisting Afghanistan, India is the only country that is actually doing it on the ground as per desires of the local communities.”

Commending the work of Wapcos, Ms Swaraj said, “Often, there are attacks on Indian consulates in Afghanistan. A couple of days ago there was a blast in which two Indians died. So far, 16 such incidents have taken place in which 24 of our citizens have lost their lives. To volunteer for a project like Salma dam in such a situation is reminiscent of soldiers defending our boundaries”

Union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation Uma Bharti said: “I share a very special relationship with Shushmaji which I do not have with any other politician. I know her for the past 20-25 years. She has scolded me at my mistakes but applauded for good work. In Parliament she often applauded our efforts on Salma dam, which has made us proud.”

She added: “When Prime Ministerji went to Afghanistan for the dam’s inauguration he categorically said that the best answer to terrorism is the Sufi tradition. And this dam has been built on the land which is the very den of Sufism.”