German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor Zu Guttenberg feels India is frequently forgotten when it comes to discussing the future of Afghanistan and Pakistan and says it is time New Delhi should made part of the process.

"India is frequently forgotten when it comes to the future of Afghanistan and Pakistan in our discussion, if I may say so," he said in his address to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank.

Observing that the conflict in Afghanistan cannot be resolved only through military means, he said, "Besides formulating a clear strategy for success, we need to agree on a pragmatic and binding work-share."

"Every actor involved, at the national as well as international level, needs to perform and show full commitment," the German minister said.

He also identified India and China as the two emerging power and said the 2008 National Intelligence Council study indicates that the West is faced with a relative decline in power.

"For Europe, things look even gloomier. It is said to lose much of its influence and current status. What a lovely prospective... On the other hand, new powers emerge – China and India are just two of them," he said.

The German Minister said in recent years, the international community has allowed the transatlantic partnership and NATO, its most important forum, to drift – at least to a certain extent.

"I clearly underline, very positively, what I hear over here and what I've heard from Gen. McChrystal last week in Kabul that the term, regionalisation, is gaining more and more grounds. And that the regional aspects of the forthcoming, hopefully, of the forthcoming strategy are playing a significant role," he said.

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