United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday lauded India's "positive role in the process to achieve a peaceful and stable Afghanistan" and said that America's view of relationship with India was of strategic importance.
"I think our view of the relationship with India is one that's of strategic importance not just for this specific region, but in the context of that speech it was about a free and open Indo-Pacific region stretching all the way to - from Japan to India. So it's a broader relationship," he said, referring to the speech he gave on India, wherein he had pulled up Pakistan and China.
Tillerson gave this statement in Kabul, where he met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah and national security advisor Hanif Atmar today.
He emphasised that India could be a very positive influence on creating the right future for Afghanistan.
"We do, though, believe that India has a very important role that India can play in the process to achieve a peaceful, stable Afghanistan as well. They already are providing important economic activity - creating jobs - which is important for the future Afghanistan," he said.
"And we think they - we want to encourage that as well," he added.
Tillerson also slammed Pakistan, citing that there were a number of terror groups, which find safe havens in the country.
Tillerson, who is scheduled to hold discussions with high-ranking officials in Pakistan on Tuesday, said that the United States has made specific requests to Islamabad to undermine the support received by the Taliban and other terrorist organisations in the country.
As a part of his five-nation tour, Tillerson will arrive in New Delhi on October 24 for his two-day visit to India.
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