NEW DELHI - Afghanistan is seeking India's help in training its troops to fight insurgents.
The request will be conveyed to senior Indian defense planners by visiting Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, who arrived here April 8, sources in the Indian Defence Ministry said.
While New Delhi has ruled out direct involvement of its forces in Afghanistan, the government will consider training Afghan military personnel at Indian institutes, a senior Defence Ministry official here said.
Wardak's weeklong visit to India will include a stop in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, where Indian troops are fighting Muslim extremists from across the Pakistan border.
Wardak, heading a seven-member delegation, is set to hold talks with Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony and top brass of India's military on security issues and will be the first Afghan defense minister to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
He also will visit state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and the Air Force's Training Command, both in Bangalore. Afghanistan is keen to get its air force personnel trained in India, Defence Ministry sources here said, adding that HAL is also expecting an order from Kabul for its Advanced Light Helicopter.
Afghanistan also hopes to get training and maintenance support from India for its military's 10 Russian-made Mi-35 helicopter gunships.
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