NEW DELHI (Dispatches) -- Representatives from Iran, Russia and Central Asia will participate in a regional security conference on Afghanistan that India will chair next week, Indian media reports said on Friday.
Pakistan and China which have been invited to the November 10 meeting, have not yet responded through official channels, they said.
The regional conference is being hosted by Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and is the first to be hosted by India. Two earlier meetings at the level of national security advisor have been held in Iran in September 2018 and December 2019.
The meeting assumes importance given that it comes at a time when the people of Afghanistan are facing food shortages with the economy having collapsed and winter approaching. News reports have spoken about deaths due to starvation already.
“There has been an overwhelming response to India’s invitation. Central Asian countries as well as Russia and Iran have confirmed participation,” one Indian source was quoted as saying.