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Four Indian state-owned firms to bid for Afghan mines | Four Indian state-owned entities are on a short list to bid for copper and gold projects in Afghanistan. Hindustan
Copper Ltd. Managing Director Shakeel Ahmed confirmed that his company was one of the four Indian state-owned entities on a short list to bid for four projects
in the provinces of Ghazni, Badakhshan, Herat and Sar-e Pol in Afghanistan . Steel
Authority of India Ltd., National Aluminum Co. and Mineral Exploration Corp. were
the other members of the consortium, he added. The move is likely to raise fears
among the Pakistan authorities, who are already jittery about India ’s growing
role in the country. Pakistan views Afghanistan as within its sphere of influence
and crucial to counter- balancing India . "I think Pakistan sees Indian investments
in Afghanistan from a geopolitical prism, rather than an economic one. Policy
makers believe that India 's presence in Afghanistan strengthens groups that are
not pro-Pakistan, such as the Northern Alliance ," Lahore University of Management
Sciences Political Science Professor Muhammad Waseem said. Afghan officials contended
the choice of investor has nothing to do with geopolitics but is an attempt to
lift one of the world's poorest nations out of misery through investment. "Our
strategic benefit is, first, to get the investment and, second, to create more
jobs," Afghan Mining Minister Wahidullah Shahrani said. There are, however, huge
safety concerns for companies planning to operate in Afghanistan . Ahmed admitted
there were risks involved in operating business in Afghanistan , but added: “in
business one has to take risks." |
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