"Afghanistan may not be the easiest destination to sell to an investor," admitted Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna in an address to the summit, attended by companies from 40 countries, including Russia, Pakistan and Iran.
Despite security concerns, Krishna argued there would be safety in numbers if enough investors committed to the country, and cited Afghanistan's mineral, agricultural and human resources as genuine investment material.
"We need to offer a narrative of opportunity to counter the anxiety of withdrawal, uncertainty, instability and foreign interference," Krishna said.
"Let the grey suits of company executives take the place of olive green or desert brown fatigues of soldiers; and CEOs the place of generals," he added.
With NATO combat troops due to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, there are fears of a consequent meltdown in the corruption-plagued economy.
Cash that is desperately needed is already making its own way out.
According to the Afghan Finance Ministry, $4.6 billion left through Kabul airport in 2011, almost double the amount in the previous year.
India, strongly encouraged by the United States, is keen to expand its economic influence in Afghanistan, but New Delhi is acutely aware of rival Pakistan's sensitivities about Indian "encroachment".
In October, India and Afghanistan signed a "strategic partnership" deal aiming at deepening their security and economic links, with Afghan President Hamid Karzai also keen to elevate India's involvement.
New Delhi has ploughed about $2.0 billion of aid into the country, but is wary of over-stepping.
In 2011, a consortium of Indian companies won the rights to develop Afghanistan's largest iron ore deposits.
Afghanistan is believed to have mineral reserves worth as much as $3 trillion which could theoretically generate billions of dollars in tax revenue.
"We want to rely more and more on our own resources and less on donor resources. Create jobs and a viable economic environment," Afghan Commerce Minister Anwarul Haq Ahady told the summit in New Delhi.
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@Paindu: People who make a living out of handouts and expect that as their birth right, do not understand what pride is. When others receive aid, they feel deprived of their birth right share in it and cast aspersions on the donors motive. They call those who aid them as good donors and those who do not as bad donors.
@ Paindu - Shabana Azmi can't buy a flat in Mumbai. What has that got to do with this. The govt. is not discriminating against the Muslims. If private individuals do not want to let out there house to Muslims then what govt. can do ?
Why Afghans hate Pakistan? Especially Punjabi Establishment? And why there is a goodwill for India there? Simple answer to the question: Pakistan sends Taliban their to have so-called friendly government and India builds democratic institutions and infrastructure .
@not-an-indian: Don’t think they got any help from the neutered indian muslims, just like Kashmiris get no help from the same resourceless indian muslims. Is that the reason why West Pakistan sucked East Pakistan's resources and India had to ultimately 'neuter' West Pakistan into forming a Bangladesh obviously from 'Indian Muslim's' resources??
@not-an-indian: I think if you dont have dictionary,....U can always check the meaning of "neutered" in dictionary,com...... You just cant accept the fact that you have misspelt it...So whats next?? Conspiracy...Conspiracy,......Oxford dictionary is run by Hindu Zionists who have changed the meaning of "neutered" to blame me???
@Jat:
By the way do you know the meaning of “neutered” ? ,,,,
Spoke like an true Indian - smug and out of his depth.
@Jat: Lie but not so white. Why all your Indians Lie after lie and You think You can go undetected? Your own Govt. has declared Muslim Population as disadvantaged as Low caste Hindus and they are still on Quota .As far as the decrimenition is concerned, even Shabana Azmi can Not Buy Home in Mumbai Where she wants to for being Muslim. And you are lying to us Plain and simple. You think we have no ability to catch it? Shame on you. Laanaat teri shakal te Jatta. @Arya: India is helping Afghanistan such a way, that it reaches people without hurting their pride.
Hahahaha... Oh Yah? You think we are fools or what? Banya Never does it in its own country and Banya will do it in Afghanistan?? This is kind of a Lie that you yourself will not believe it. Good Luck with your investment. Hope Talibans will not issue a Fatwa against you. All our prayers are with you and your investment.
@ayesha_khan:
We do? I didn't know that from my experience with refugees all these years .. Please back up your argument with examples and links from those donors. First, during soviet war the whole set up was funded by either Saudi money or the Drug business. Everything else was coming through NGOs likes UNHCR & WHO etc who used to send food and tents for these refugees along with $100 per family every month till 1989. Secondly, No amount of money even IF was paid, could recover one percent of loss that we have suffered by hosting millions of people, giving them shelter, free education, healthcare and so on.
@Zalmai: exaggerated & inflated numbers? Having worked for UNHCR i know where my figures are coming from my friend .. up to 2 Millions refugees currently in Pakistan and there were more than 5 million when US was coming to this area .. And let me also clarify this number only counts those who were living in camps and excludes all those majority who have been living in settled areas like Peshawar, Islamabad & Karachi .. I guess you should know better being an Afghan how most of our properties in posh areas like Hayatabad & Karkhano market are owned by these refugees who claim to be refugees but yet are able to buy properties worth million dollars.
@not-an-indian: Ouch your frustration is leaking all over the place !!
By the way do you know the meaning of "neutered" ? Is that why the population rate of growth of Indian Muslims is the highest among all religions ? Indian Muslims have excelled in all spheres of life be it politics, science, technology, sports, culture, cinema and especially in having an open mind.
The only thing that is neutered is your vision and thinking.
@Khan @Not an Indian
You are killing me with the exaggerated and inflated number of refugees you claim to host so graciously. Your police constantly harass Afghans and shake them down for bribes, your civil servants constantly threaten them with expulsion unless a bribe is paid and your business elite and customs officers rob Afghan businessmen by delaying their merchandise for what else more bribes.
Pakistani policies have deprived Afghans of stability and development and now that the whole world is rushing to exploit the mineral wealth of Afghanistan, Pakistan sees itself left out of the equation and is playing the spoiler role, yet again.
@Khan well said!
@Ayesha Khan, the aid we got is peanuts compared to the burden on economy. Having said that, I respect our Afghan bothers and sisters, if they are here, I want them to have same treatment as Pakistanis. They are our Muslim brother and sisters and if they need our help we should be there.
As far as India's role is concerned, then we don't want bad for anybody, neither India nor Afghanistan. By all means do your business.
@not-an-indian: The words you have used for Indian Muslims are utterly despicable. Please get out of your Muslim vs. non-Muslim world view and learn to live as a normal human being.
@ayesha_khan : 'unlike the 8 million East Pakistan refuges that had been pushed to India in 1971 ...' Don't think they got any help from the neutered indian muslims, just like Kashmiris get no help from the same resourceless indian muslims. they are only good for trying to prove themselves better than pakistanis on these pages.
@Khan: "Really don’t know what to make of your comment but just in case you were living on some far away planet, Pakistan has been hosting up to 5 million refugees since 1979 "
And you have been paid for those refugees - unlike the 8 million East Pakistan refuges that had been pushed to India in 1971
@Rajendra Rana: Really don't know what to make of your comment but just in case you were living on some far away planet, Pakistan has been hosting up to 5 million refugees since 1979 and is still hosting couple of million with every single of them having free education, healthcare etc etc and many of them are working freely and without paying taxes. This my have cost us many hundred billions but no one knows the exact amount and no one has ever been bothered to evaluate its impact. Indian involvement for the construction and investment is much appreciated but comparing but is that answer to a better future of them? Or should we all first sit and ask them peacefully sit and find a solution for this conflict. We have tried this for many years in the 1990s when no one else was bothered about that country and there was a civil war and infighting between different ethnic groups and warlords. This has been going on from more than half a century now without any solution insight they should discuss all options (including making two federations based on two ethnic groups maybe).
Proud Pakistanis have disappeared here
India is the only serious nation in south asia, who really bothers for national security, china is economically more powerful than india , china should also partner india in economic activities in afghanistan, trade and business is the only way to bring back peace in afganistan. Hats off to India
India as a rising power must overcome its internal political issues and come forward to guide regional countries out of this mess including Pakistan...
The Afghans are truly proud people, and want to rely more on their own resources than the foreign aid. India is helping Afghanistan such a way, that it reaches people without hurting their pride.
India means business
This is the reason why India is called a “Soft Power” despite being so down economically compared to other developed countries still India have the power and will that is needed to help out other countries which are in desperate need of assistance. Even with its meek resources India managed to aid more than 2 billion for development in Afghanistan and this is not the end. India has even aided a lot to Bangladesh including all surrounding neighbors. India is heavily investing in underdeveloped countries in Africa where the prospect of returns is almost nil. The countries which envy India and use proxies to destabilize India should take a leaf out of it and learn how to live and let live and gain respect because respect cannot be demanded but it must be commanded.