India attends intra-Afghan talks in Doha

India attended the start of the intra-Afghan talks in Doha on Saturday, where a senior official Joint Secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran) in Ministry of External Affairs, J P Singh participated in-person and External Affairs minister S Jaishankar joined-in virtually.

During the address, Jaishankar said that the peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. “Addressed the conference on Afghan peace negotiations at Doha today. Conveyed that the peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled, respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, promote human rights and democracy, ensure interest of minorities, women and the vulnerable, effectively address violence across the country,” Jaishankar tweeted.

Joint Secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran) in Ministry of External Affairs, J P Singh, in Doha witnessed the ceremony. Singh, who has served in Afghanistan as First Secretary (political) and Pakistan as Deputy High Commissioner, is the government’s point person on India’s ties with three countries — Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

India had attended the signing of the US-Taliban pact on February 29. At that point, Indian ambassador to Qatar P Kumaran had witnessed the event.