NSA Ajit Doval, top Russian security official hold talks on Afghan crisis

NSA Ajit Doval on Wednesday held talks with his Russian counterpart Gen Nikolay Patrushev in mitigating any possible security threat from the Talibanruled Afghanistan a day after holding similar deliberations with CIA Chief William BurnsBurns Patrushev and the UKs Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service MI6 Richard Moore were among a number of key intelligence and security officials to visit India over the last few days it is learntThe DovalPatrushev talks delved into security implications of the Talibans capture of power for India Russia and the Central Asian region as a number of dreaded terror groups including JaisheMuhammad and LashkareTaiba having a strong presence in the wartorn country people familiar with the meeting saidA Russian readout of the delegationlevel talks said attention was paid to intensifying joint work by special services and military bodies of both the countries and that emphasis was given on further interaction on the antiterrorist track combating illegal migration and drug traffickingAlso Read lsquoArmed and Dangerousrsquo New Afghan Interior Minister Haqqani bears USD 5 million bountyIt is learnt that Chief of the Central Intelligence Agency CIA Burns accompanied by a few officials paid a quiet visit to India primarily to discuss ways to mitigate security threats that may emanate from AfghanistanThe CIA chief held talks with Doval and a number of senior officials of the National Security Secretariat on TuesdayWhen asked about the visit the US embassy declined to comment There was no comment from the Indian security establishment as wellIt is learnt that Moore also held extensive talks with Doval during his brief visitAsked about the MI6 chiefs trip to India a British High Commission spokesperson said We do not comment on intelligence mattersIndia has been in touch with all leading powers on the developments in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of troops by the USThree weeks after taking control the Taliban on Tuesday a unveiled a caretaker government saying it would be headed by Mohammad Hasan AkhundAs a followup to the telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 24 an exchange of views took place on the military political and socioeconomic situation in Afghanistan the Russian readout saidIt said the two sides agreed to coordinate on the Afghan issue in multilateral formatsThey also touched upon humanitarian and migration problems in this country as well as prospects for the RussianIndian joint efforts aimed at creating conditions for launching a peaceful settlement process on the basis of an intraAfghan dialogue it saidThe importance of defining parameters of the future state structure of Afghanistan by the Afghans themselves as well as the need to prevent the escalation of violence social ethnic and confessional contradictions in the country were emphasised it addedThe people cited above said both India and Russia share similar concerns on terrorism that could flow out of AfghanistanThe two sides also deliberated on threats from drugs networks operating from Afghan territory the role of regional countries and details of IndoRussia cooperation to meet the current and future challenges they saidThe people said the consultations reflect the close trusted special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia that has significantly matured over timeThey said both sides exchanged each others assessment on possible security implications of the Talibans capture of power in Kabul and how a coordinated approach can be followed to confront any possible challengeModi and Putin had on August 24 discussed the developments in Afghanistan and expressed the view that it was important for the two countries to work togetherOn Tuesday the Ministry of External Affairs said Patrushev is visiting India at the invitation of Doval for the highlevel IndiaRussia intergovernmental consultations on AfghanistanAfter the ModiPutin conversation Russia said the two leaders expressed the intention to enhance cooperation to counter the dissemination of terrorist ideology and the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan and agreed to form a permanent bilateral channel for consultations on the issueOn Monday Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev said that there is ample scope for cooperation between India and Russia on Afghanistan and both sides have been in regular touch with each other on the latest developments in the wartorn countryHe also said that Russia is as concerned as India that the Afghan soil should not be a source of spreading terrorism to other countries and there is a danger of terror being spread to the Russian territory as well as KashmirThe Russian ambassador also said that there is not much difference in the overall position of Russia and India on Afghanistan and noted that Moscows approach in according recognition to a Taliban regime would depend on its actionsThis story has been sourced from a third party 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