Indian firms keen on bidding for Afghan minerals: Pranab
23 Aug 2013 4:32 AM IST
Favouring Afghanistan being turned into a regional hub for economic growth, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said that Indian companies are interested in bidding for copper, gold, oil and gas deposits in that country.
This was conveyed by the President when visiting second vice president of Afghanistan Karim Khalili called on him. According to Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venru Rajamony, the President said Afghanistan has the potential to be a hub for regional trade, transport and energy corridors and a land of opportunity which can contribute to regional economic growth.
'Indian companies are interested in bidding for copper, gold, oil and gas deposits in Afghanistan,' Mukherjee said. The message was warmly reciprocated by the Afghan Vice President who said relations between the two countries are of strategic importance and the friendship between the two countries would always remain strong.
He expressed gratitude for the assistance extended by India to Afghanistan and invited Indian companies to invest in Afghanistan, especially in the mining sector. The President also thanked Khalili for thwarting the suicide attack on Indian consulate in Jalalabad on 3 August. While terming as unfortunate that innocent children and civilians were killed in the incident, he said India will provide every possible assistance to help the victims.
The President said that post-2014 when US-led international forces are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan, India will continue to be engaged with Afghanistan at the political and strategic level.
This was conveyed by the President when visiting second vice president of Afghanistan Karim Khalili called on him. According to Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venru Rajamony, the President said Afghanistan has the potential to be a hub for regional trade, transport and energy corridors and a land of opportunity which can contribute to regional economic growth.
'Indian companies are interested in bidding for copper, gold, oil and gas deposits in Afghanistan,' Mukherjee said. The message was warmly reciprocated by the Afghan Vice President who said relations between the two countries are of strategic importance and the friendship between the two countries would always remain strong.
He expressed gratitude for the assistance extended by India to Afghanistan and invited Indian companies to invest in Afghanistan, especially in the mining sector. The President also thanked Khalili for thwarting the suicide attack on Indian consulate in Jalalabad on 3 August. While terming as unfortunate that innocent children and civilians were killed in the incident, he said India will provide every possible assistance to help the victims.
The President said that post-2014 when US-led international forces are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan, India will continue to be engaged with Afghanistan at the political and strategic level.
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