The US Senate Armed Services Committee has urged the Pentagon to ensure that India plays a larger role in providing increased and coordinated defence-related support to war-torn Afghanistan.

A resolution moved in this regard by Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan was unanimously passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday as part of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA-2018), which approved US $640 billion in critical defense spending for Fiscal Year 2018.  The US Senate Armed Services Committee says the US should leverage the capabilities of its allies and partners to more effectively secure regional stability and security.

Praising India's efforts in Afghanistan, Gen John W. Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, he highlighted that India, in particular, is well placed to fill the short-term material and training gaps of the Afghan Air Force.

A similar version of the bill has also been passed by the House Armed Services Committee and has been sent to the House of Representative.

The move by a key Senate panel shows there has been a growing desire of the Trump administration for an increased Indian role in Afghanistan.

"The Indian government won't commit troops on the ground and would stick to its present role of giving assistance, training, supplies and other forms to develop the capabilities of Afghanistan. India has acquired lot of goodwill within Afghanistan for its role in reconstruction efforts and our strategic goals include preventing the advancement of the Taliban or it getting any major role. [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi clearly highlighted at the recent G20 summit during his keynote address on terrorism… that we don't make any distinction between good or bad forms of terrorism. There is no segregation as good or bad Taliban,"  noted Ashok Sajjanhar, former ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia in an interview to Sputnik.