New Delhi: Hours after US President Donald Trump mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for funding a library in Afghanistan and asked "who's using it", India said its developmental assistance has played a major role in transforming the war-torn country.
Government officials said India has been implementing a range of mega infrastructure projects as well as carrying out community development programmes in Afghanistan as per requirement of its people. “They said such assistance would go a long way in making the country economically empowered and stable.”
Trump had taken a jibe at Modi for funding a "library" in Afghanistan, saying it is of no use in the war-torn country as he criticised India and others for not doing enough for the nation's security.
In his first cabinet meeting in the new year on Wednesday, Trump asked India, Russia, Pakistan and other neighbouring countries to take responsibility for Afghanistan's security as he defended his push for the US to invest less overseas.
Trump referred to Modi as an example of how world leaders are talking about their contributions that were nowhere near the "billions of dollars" the US was spending.
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav also said that India has been doing immense development work in Afghanistan for which the people of the war-ravaged country "thank us, no matter what others do or don't.”
While stating that he got along with Modi, Trump had said the leader (Modi) was "constantly telling me he built a library in Afghanistan”. "You know what that is? That's like five hours of what we spend," Trump said. "And we're supposed to say, 'Oh, thank you for the library.' I don't know who's using it in Afghanistan," Trump added.
Responding to Trump’s mockery, Madhav tweeted, "May be Trump should know that while he is decrying every other help in Afghanistan, India has been building not only libraries, but roads, dams, schools and even parliament building. We are building lives, for which the Afghan people thank us, no matter what others do or don't."
Govt sources said but most of India’s investments in Afghanistan were on mega infrastructure projects including the 218 km road from Zaranj to Delaram, the Salma Dam and the new Afghan Parliament building.
India has also been supplying military equipment to Afghanistan besides providing training to hundreds of Afghan security personnel.
Sources said India plays a significant role in the country as its development partner and that the partnership is built on the specific needs and requirements worked out with the Afghan government.
"India seeks to build capacities and capabilities of Afghan nationals and its institutions for governance and delivery of public service, develop socio-economic infrastructure, secure lives and promote livelihood," said a source.
Besides mega infrastructure projects, India is implementing 116 new 'High Impact Community Development Projects' in 31 provinces of Afghanistan, including in the areas of education, health, agriculture, irrigation, drinking water, renewable energy, flood control, micro-hydropower, sports infrastructure, administrative infrastructure.
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