Now, India backs Karzai amid standoff with US

Amid a standoff between the US and the embattled Afghan President, India on Saturday saluted Hamid Karzai’s ‘extraordinary and brave’ leadership in nurturing democracy and peace in the war-torn country.

External affairs minister Salman Khurshid, in his speech at the inauguration of Afghanistan’s first national agriculture university here, backed Karzai and lauded his leadership in the last 12 years.

Khurshid, who arrived here on Saturday on a day-long visit, said upcoming elections in the country were a testament to the fact that democracy had taken firm roots.

‘These elections are a testament to the fact that democracy has taken firm roots in this country. It is also a testament to your extraordinary and brave leadership over the last 12 years, and the manner in which you have nurtured the plant of democracy in this country,’ 

he said.