Future Tense For Afghan Soldiers Undergoing Training In India

NEW DELHI: About 150 Afghan soldiers, who are undergoing training in India, are now staring at an uncertain future following the resurgence of Taliban in Afghanistan.

These Afghan soldiers are attending specifically-tailored capsule courses at different military training establishments in India, Times of India reported today quoting its sources. The Indian government “will have to decide the future” of the Afghan military personnel.

“The Afghan personnel are anxious about their families and the situation in their country, especially given the Taliban’s hatred for the Afghan National Defence & Security Forces. Their training is continuing but they are obviously worried. The Indian government will have to take a call on their future,” said the source.

India, apart from supplying military hardware including four Mi-25 armed helicopters and three light Cheetal choppers, has trained thousands of Afghan military personnel over the years in counter-terrorism operations, military field-craft, signals, intelligence-gathering and information technology, among other fields.

As per the TOI report, scores have undergone the “Young Officers’ course” at the Infantry School in Mhow as well as training at the specialised counter-insurgency and jungle warfare school at Vairengte in Mizoram.

On an average, around 700 to 800 Afghan soldiers per year were attending the short-duration “tailor-made” courses for them at the different Indian military establishments for well over a decade now.