Diplomatist Magazine DIplomatist September 2018 | Page 70

SPECIAL REPORT
model of developing health projects outside of
the country, the IGICH has been very popular.
India undertook its reconstruction with an
assistance of $6 million in 2002. It had already
spent over Rs. 17.16 crores in providing and
installing medical equipment in the institute. A
further aid of $1 million was given to IGICH
to spend over a period of fi ve years for the
purposes of routine maintenance, setting up
additional facilities, and training of doctors,
nurses, paramedics and technical staff of the
hospital.
SI No Project
1)
Low cost housing for
returning Afghan refugees
Important projects completed by India in
Afghanistan
India has completed many development
projects in Afghanistan in the last few years,
braving the unceasing hostility from the
Taliban. As part of its commitment towards
rebuilding Afghanistan, India constructed
the Afghan-India Friendship Dam (AIFD),
formerly the Salma Dam, on the Hari River in
the Chishti Sharif District of Herat Province
in western Afghanistan. The dam, which was
jointly inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister
Province
Nangarhar province
2) Road connectivity to Band- Bamyan Province
e-Amir
3) Improving the water supply
network
Setting up a gypsum board
manufacturing plant
Construction of a
polyclinic
4 )
5)
Charikar city in
Parwan province
Kabul
Mazar-i-Sharif
2) Improving the sewage system with the
construction of a decentralised wastewater
treatment system in Kabul.
3) Habibia High School, Kabul: The school
was reconstructed using Indian aid totalling $5.1
million. Since then, India has regularly supported
the school with regard to the upgradation of
facilities, training of teachers, etc.
4) Contribution to the Afghan Red Crescent
Society: With an aim to provide assistance
to children suffering from congenital heart
disease, India has contributed $1 million to
the Afghan Red Crescent Society for treating
children suffering from this disease.
5) Setting up of the Afghan Mining Institute
in Kabul: India now provides technical and
fi nancial assistance to the institute, following
a request from the Afghan government for the
same.
6) Afghan National Agriculture Sciences and
Technology University (ANASTU), Kandahar:
This university was established with the Indian
government’s fi nancial and technical assistance.
70 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 9 • September 2018, Noida
Aim of the project
To facilitate and promote
the resettlement of displaced
Afghans
To aid in the economic
development of the region,
apart from promoting tourism
To provide clean and
uninterrupted water supply
To give a push to the value
added industry
To improving the healthcare
situation in Afghanistan
Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf
Ghani on June 4, 2016, is expected to produce
42 MW of power in addition to providing
irrigation for 75,000 hectares of farmland.
India also successfully undertook the
construction of the Afghan Parliament building
at a cost of $90 million, which was inaugurated
by PM Modi in 2015. After its inauguration, PM
Modi had said that, “it will stand as an enduring
symbol of the ties of emotion and values, and of
affection and aspirations that bind us [India and
Afghanistan] in a special relationship.” Started
in 2007, the now completed Parliament building
is corralled in an 84-acre plot in Darulaman on
the outskirts of Kabul.
Furthermore, India completed the Zaranj-
Delaram road in Afghanistan which will act as
an important link to the Chabahar port in Iran.
Conclusion
Afghanistan remains at the heart of Indian
foreign policy, evidenced by the key role played
by the latter in the reconstruction of the war-torn