India favours continuation of the US-led military offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor told the Lok Sabha in response to a pointed query by Maneka Gandhi of the BJP during question hour that “India is supportive of the efforts that are being made by the US and NATO”. “But I do want to make it clear that we ourselves do not participate in military operations,” he said.

India, according to him, has no military role in Afghanistan except for providing security to its own people engaged in various road construction and other projects. “Nevertheless, our interest is certainly in ensuring that pressure on Afghanistan’s Taliban and al Qaeda elements” is not eased, he added with Sonia Gandhi, seated in the front row, nodding her head in appreciation of his crisp reply.

While responding to the main question posed by Madhu Goud Yaskhi of the Congress regarding the attack on the Indian mission in Afghanistan, Tharoor said, “Wherever necessary, we shall provide the best possible security to our civilians working at various development projects and to the officials in the embassy.”