INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014 Hagel to boost defence ties and trade in India NEW DELHI: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel as the United States prepares to withdraw its met India’s prime minister in Delhi yesterday, troops. Modi told Hagel that a smooth transition seeking to boost weapons sales to a new gov- of power in Afghanistan was essential for sus- ernment eager to modernise its military. India is taining progress towards peace and stability, the world’s biggest arms importer and military according to the Press Trust of India news trade is high on the agenda for the three-day agency. trip, which comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first official visit to Washington New Defence Push next month. “The US wants to be a partner in Hagel, who also met his Indian counterpart India’s military modernisation, and recognises Arun Jaitley yesterday, is in Delhi ahead of India’s need to strengthen their defence-indus- Modi’s first official visit to Washington in trial base,” Hagel said on his official Twitter September. The United States has been racing account. to make up for lost time in building ties with Indian officials say they are close to finalising Modi, a Hindu nationalist leader who was a $1.4 billion deal to buy at least 22 US Apache denied a US visa in 2005 over allegations he and 15 Chinook helicopters. The United States is turned a blind eye to anti-Muslim riots as leader also keen to secure greater military cooperation of the state of Gujarat. On Wednesday, the with India as its seeks to counter growing Indian cabinet agreed to increase the limit on Chinese firepower in Asia. During the meeting foreign direct investment in defence to 49 per- Modi and Hagel also discussed the situation in cent from 26 percent, in a move to attract inter- Afghanistan, as US Secretary of State John Kerry national capital. “India has made progress on its visits Kabul to try to resolve disputed elections direct investment framework on percentage that have raised fears of civil war. India has ownership, outside ownership in companies... NEW DELHI: US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel (left) speaks with Indian Prime Minister voiced concern about instability in Afghanistan And we’ll talk about that,” Hagel said.—AFP Narendra Modi during a meeting yesterday. — AFP Afghan rivals ink deal on unity government Kerry in Kabul to mediate KABUL: Afghanistan’s feuding presidential candi- accusing his rival of stealing the election by mas- Timeline Pressure dates signed a deal yesterday to form a national sive ballot-box stuffing. “Today (we) have taken The deal also said that both sides agreed that unity government, opening an apparent way for- another step forward in the interests of strength- the successor to outgoing President Hamid Karzai ward in a dispute over the fraud-tainted election ening national unity... and also to bring hope for should be inaugurated before the end of this NEW DELHI: Indian prisoner Sher Singh Rana, that threatens to revive ethnic conflict. Ashraf the better future for the people of Afghanistan,” month. The timeline was a key demand of Kerry, the alleged killer of India’s famous “bandit Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah vowed to work Abdullah said, standing beside Ghani and Kerry. who had stressed in talks with both candidates the queen”, is surrounded by policemen as he is together whoever becomes president after an “We are committed to working together on the importance of Afghanistan having a new president displayed before media representatives in ongoing audit of all eight million votes finally basis of our common vision for the future of our before a NATO summit in Britain on Sept 4-5. The this April 25, 2006 file photo. — AFP declares the winner of the June 14 election. US country.” summit is scheduled to endorse a US-led NATO Secretary of State John Kerry, visiting Kabul to The signed text admitted Afghanistan was “in “training and advisory” mission in Afghanistan mediate an end to the impasse, welcomed the one of the most politically sensitive periods of its next year after all foreign combat troops withdraw Indian court deal as a major advance in bringing Afghanistan history” due to the contested outcome of an elec- by December. back from the brink of political chaos as US-led tion that should herald the country’s first demo- But member nations have expressed reluctance convicts ‘bandit NATO troops withdraw. cratic transfer of power. “We trust each other,” to make costly commitments if Afghanistan fails to But an earlier deal brokered by Kerry last Ghani said. “We will work with each other to fulfil complete the election - a key goal of the massive queen’ killer month soon frayed due to disagreements this national duty and obligation for every Afghan. international military and aid effort since 2001. between the candidates, and attention will focus “We are affirming that we will form a government “One of these men is going to be president, but NEW DELHI: The main suspect in the murder of on whether all their supporters accept the latest of national unity... What unites us is far greater both of these men are going to be critical to the India’s Phoolan Devi was found guilty yesterday, pact. The risk of spiralling instability has loomed than what divided us during the campaign. “He future of Afghanistan, not matter what,” Kerry said. 13 years after the iconic “bandit queen” was large in Afghanistan since Abdullah refused to and I have reached an agreement and signed a “This audit is not about winning or losing. It is gunned down in broad daylight. Devi, a low-caste accept preliminary results that put Ghani ahead, communique for future cooperation.” about achieving a credible result that people of heroine who transformed herself from illiterate vil- Afghanistan deserve.” lager to opposition lawmaker, was shot dead by Karzai, who has been president since the three masked men outside her home in New Delhi Taleban regime was ousted in 2001, has also called in 2001. Her turbulent life, captured in Bollywood for an inauguration within weeks, saying uncer- director Shekhar Kapur’s 1996 movie “Bandit tainty was damaging Afghanistan’s fragile security Queen”, comprised many incarnations, from and economy. Taleban insurgents have launched abused child-bride to feared outlaw and finally new operations in the south and east in recent member of parliament. months, and violence is increasing across the The main accused, Sher Singh Rana, had been country according to several independent reports. on trial for 13 years - a duration that is not uncom- US-led foreign troop numbers have declined from mon in India’s notoriously clogged legal system. a peak of 150,000 in 2012 to just 44,300 now, and Police said after Devi’s death that Rana had con- NATO combat operations are winding down fast fessed to murdering the 38-year-old politician to after 13 years of fighting that have failed to defeat avenge the deaths of 22 upper-caste Hindus she the Taliban. killed on Valentine’s Day in 1981. Devi herself said Western nations that have sent troops and bil- the Valentine’s Day massacre in the north Indian lions of dollars worth of aid to Afghanistan since village of Behmai was in retaliation for her gang 2001 still hope that a credible election will be a rape by upper-caste Hindus. The judge acquitted flagship legacy of progress made since the austere 10 other defendants in the case, citing lack of evi- Taleban era. The dangers of international military dence. “Except Sher Singh Rana, I am acquitting all intervention were underlined this week when a the accused,” said judge Bharat Parashar, accord- rogue Afghan soldier shot dead a US general at an ing to the Press Trust of India. A twelfth accused KABUL: US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks as Afghan presidential candidates Ashraf army training centre in Kabul, wounding more had died of a heart attack while in prison in Nov Ghani Ahmadzai and Abdullah Abdullah (right) listen during a joint press conference yester- than a dozen others including a senior German 2013.—AFP day. — AP officer. — AFP .