India, US have 'one mind, one approach: US Deputy State Secretary on Afghanistan

New Delhi, Oct 06: India's security concerns will be the "first and foremost" and at the "front and centre" for Washington, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Wednesday on New Delhi's apprehensions about the spillover of terrorist activity from Afghanistan.

Wendy Sherman, who held talks with Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and NSA Ajit Doval, also said that India and the US have "one mind and one approach" on developments in Afghanistan.

Noting that the US appreciates India's concerns over the spread of terrorism from Afghanistan, she told a select group of reporters that Washington is putting together a robust programme for "over-the-horizon" (OTH) capability for Afghanistan but did not elaborate on it.

The US Deputy Secretary of State said both India and the US have a similar approach on the way forward in Afghanistan that included the Taliban ensuring an inclusive government and that Afghanistan must not become a safe haven for terrorists.

She also emphasised safe and orderly travel for those who want to leave Afghanistan and called for the need to ensure respect for human rights.

The senior US official said that the Taliban must act, and not just speak words and that no country is in a rush on recognising the dispensation in Kabul or giving legitimacy to it.

with PTI inputs