Closely watching situation in Afghanistan: India

India on Thursday said it was closely watching the situation in Afghanistan following signing of a peace deal between the Taliban and the US. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also said India will continue to extend all support to the government and the people of Afghanistan in realising their aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous future.

After months of negotiations, the US and Taliban signed a landmark peace deal in Qatari capital Doha on Saturday, effectively drawing curtains on the United States' 18-year war in Afghanistan since 2001. "The deal has just been signed. We have noted that the entire political spectrum in Afghanistan has welcomed the opportunity for peace and stability," Kumar said when asked during a media briefing about the deal between the Taliban and the US.

"India has always supported the opportunities that can end violence and cut ties with international terrorism. We are all aware of what the agreement provides for. We are closely watching the situation," he added. India has been a key stakeholder in Afghanistan as it had already spent around USD 2 billion in reconstruction of the war-ravaged country. "India will continue to extend all support to the government and the people of Afghanistan in realising their aspirations for a peaceful, democratic and prosperous future where the interests of all sections of Afghan society are protected," Kumar said.

Major powers such as the US, Russia and Iran have been reaching out to the Taliban as part of efforts to push the stalled Afghan peace process. India has also been maintaining that care should be taken to ensure that any such process does not lead to any "ungoverned spaces" where terrorists and their proxies can relocate. Ahead of the peace deal, India conveyed to the US that pressure on Pakistan to crack down on terror networks operating from its soil must be kept up though Islamabad's cooperation for peace in Afghanistan is crucial..