India, Afghanistan released Joint Statement

India and Afghanistan on 28 April 2015 released a Joint Statement to take bilateral relations to a higher level. The Joint statement was released after meeting of Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mohammad Ghani was on a visit to India from 27 April to 29 April 2015. This was the first visit of Ghani to India after assuming the Presidency in September 2014 at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.

Details of the Joint Statement
• The two nations agreed to patiently and systematically work towards strengthening of the India Afghanistan Strategic Partnership, with a clear focus on the long term relationship between the two countries.
• Both the countries reviewed the progress made in the implementation of all areas of cooperation envisaged under the strategic partnership agreement
• The Prime Minister assured the President of Afghanistan of India's abiding support for Afghanistan's ongoing crucial transitions-political, economic and security, for the decade of 2015-24 and beyond.
• The two nations agreed that they will not allow their territories to used against any other country
• The two nations expressed determination to work together, along with the international community, to combat and defeat the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
• President Ghani expressed satisfaction on the steps taken by India to promote business links and trade between the two countries and India's decision as a fourth party to join the recent PATTTA (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan Trade and Transit Agreement) negotiations that would allow the arrangement to contribute in a meaningful manner to the vision of wider regional economic integration.
• Afghanistan also welcomed the Indian stewardship of the Trade, Commerce and Investment Confidence Building Measures (TCI-CBM) under the Afghan-led Heart of Asia process whose activities remain focused on showcasing Afghanistan's potential and its unique location at the Heart of Asia.
• The two leaders agreed to work towards a more liberalized business visa regime for all businesses, including large, medium and small-size enterprises.
• The two leaders agreed to work closely with the Government of Iran to make Chahbahar port a reality, and a viable gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
• The two leaders agreed to work together for their shared goal of bringing reforms to the UN system and PM Modi thanked President Ghani for Afghanistan for supporting and co-sponsoring the G-4 resolution on UN reforms, including the expansion of the UN Security Council in the 70th year of the UN.
• Both the leaders also agreed to sign the following documents within three months of the visit. The documents include:
a) Extradition Treaty between India and Afghanistan
b) Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons between India and Afghanistan
c) Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in Criminal Matters
d) Bilateral Treaty for Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters between India and Afghanistan
e) Motor Vehicles Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic between India and Afghanistan
f) MOU on Visa free entry for holders of diplomatic passports

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