Calling "successful conduct" of the presidential polls in Afghanistan as "important milestone", India has said that the election is a "people's efforts to promote peace, security, stability, prosperity and democracy" in the country "amidst challenging circumstances." Saturday's election was the third presidential elections since 2001 after the fall of the Taliban regime following American invasion. According to Afghan govt, 72,000 security personnel were deployed with 9.6 million people registered to vote. India has always maintained any US-Taliban engagement must not jeopardize gains of the last 18 years. India backs "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled" peace process and has been engaging with regional countries -- Iran, Russia, China, Central Asian countries -- regarding the Afghan peace process.

Source: dna September 29, 2019 15:00 UTC