New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Wednesday said stressed that terrorism has become a major threat in the region and dealing with Daesh and terror outfits like the Pakistan-based LeT and JeM requires intensified intelligence and security cooperation between countries.

He was speaking at the Fifth Regional Dialogue on Afghanistan in Moscow.

According to sources, NSA Doval participated in the 5th Multilateral Meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils/National Security Advisers on Afghanistan in Moscow.

Apart from the host country, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were represented at the meeting.

Various issues related to Afghanistan were discussed, including the security situation and humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan.

NSA Ajit Doval made the following points:

Afghanistan is passing through a difficult phase. India has a historical and special relationship with Afghanistan. The well-being and humanitarian needs of the people of Afghanistan is India’s foremost priority. This will continue to guide our approach, the sources said.

"India will never abandon the Afghan people in their time of need," he said.

Focusing on food security and medical supplies, India has so far delivered 40,000 MT of wheat, 60 tons of medicines, 500,000 Covid vaccines, winter clothing and 28 tons of disaster relief.

India’s technical team stationed in Kabul is overseeing the humanitarian assistance programme. Standing with Afghans, India has granted fresh scholarships to 2,260 Afghan students including 300 Afghan girls during the past two years, Doval said.

He also stressed that an inclusive and representative dispensation in Kabul is in the larger interest of Afghan society.

Terrorism has become a major threat in the region.

Dealing with Daesh and terror outfits like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) requires intensified intelligence and security cooperation between respective States and its agencies, Doval stated, the sources added. India reaffirmed the importance of UNSCR 2593 (2021) that calls for terror outfits including those designated by UNSCR 1267 to be denied sanctuary in the region.

Doval said that no country should be allowed to use Afghan territory to export terrorism and radicalisation.

Natural resources of Afghanistan should be utilised first for the welfare of people of Afghanistan.

He also said that India is and will remain an important stakeholder in Afghanistan. “We always stood by the people of Afghanistan and will always support collective efforts to help Afghan people build a prosperous and vibrant nation once again.”

The Indian Embassy in Moscow in tweets said: “NSA Ajit Doval participated in the 5th Multilateral Security Dialogue on Afghanistan in Moscow. Stressed the well-being and humanitarian needs of Afghans. He said India will never abandon the Afghan people in their time of need."

“He reiterated the call for an inclusive & representative government in Afghanistan and need for collective efforts to fight terrorism.”

The Third round of this Regional dialogue was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of NSA Ajit Doval in November 2021.

The Fourth meeting was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in May 2022.