'No Indian boots on the ground in Afghanistan': India meets US defence Secy James Mattis

India has yet again made it clear that it will not be sending any troops to fight in Afghanistan. Addressing the media after meeting US Defence Secretary James Mattis, new Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman said, “There shall be no Indian boots on the ground in Afghanistan.”

She was however quick to point out how "our engagement in Afghanistan will continue, we shall expand our engagement."

Deepening ties

Mattis, on his maiden visit to India, the first by a senior official from the Trump cabinet, met Seetharaman at her South Block office in New Delhi.

Mattis is in India to engage with the leadership on how to further the defence partnership since India was accorded the status of a special defence partner, and also to take forward the cooperation on issues of regional importance, including the continuing conflict in Afghanistan, and concerns over terror outfits operating from the Pakistani territory. Both governments also remain concerned over growing Chinese aggression.

Mattis' visit is a first after US President Donald Trump announced the new Afghan policy, where he praised India’s role, something which was not taken too kindly in Pakistan. India recently shored up its support by announcing assistance to 116 new projects in 31 provinces. In all likelihood, India will also be training Afghan police force members.

Meanwhile, during his announcement of the new Afghan policy, Trump was particularly critical of Pakistan as he demanded change.

“We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting,” Trump said. "But that will have to change, and that will change immediately."

“Today, 20 US designated foreign terrorist organisations are active in Pakistan and Afghanistan— the highest concentration in the world. For its part Pakistan often gives safe havens to agents of chaos, violence and terror,” Trump said.

Seetharaman told Mattis that he should take up the issue of terror safe havens with Pakistan even as the latter did not name Pakistan. “There can be no tolerance for terror safe havens,” he said. Seetharaman reminded him how it are the same forces which attacked New York and Mumbai, a reference to the 9/11 attack and the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai as she requested Mattis to take up the issue of terror safe havens with Pakistan.

Defence ties

Meanwhile, no big ticket defence deal has been announced on the trip even as defence ties between both countries have grown, totalling a whopping $15 billion over the last decade according to a report.

In June, the US government had approved sale of 22 Sea Guardian drones to India. The deal is still in the works.

There were expectations that Mattis could discuss the proposals to manufacture the F-16 and F-18A, US flagship jets under Modi’s Make in India campaign.

However, Reuters had reported how the US firms Boeing and Lockheed had expressed reservations over transfer of sensitive technology. “The US-India Business Council (USIBC) wrote to India’s defence minister last month seeking a guarantee that U.S. firms would retain control over sensitive technology - even as joint venture junior partners,” the report said.

While details are sketchy, some headway seems to have been made. Seetharaman, during her address, mentioned how she “appreciated Secretary Mattis’ willingness to share further cutting edge platforms” and how both “agreed to expand on the progress already made by encouraging co-production and co-development efforts.”

Seetharaman said she reiterated “India’s deep interest in enhancing defence manufacturing in India under PM’s Make in India initiative.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mattis “reaffirmed their resolve to further develop their strong strategic partnership.”

The visit comes months after PM Modi’s visit to Washington in June this year.

“Secretary Mattis briefed Prime Minister on the progress in advancing the bilateral agenda and implementing the decisions taken during that visit,” a release from the Prime Minister’s office said after the meeting.

The two also discussed enhanced cooperation, regionally and globally, in pursuing shared priorities for peace, stability and combating terrorism, according to the PMO.