Afghan minister begins India visit

The new army is seen as vital to future stability

The Defence Minister in Afghanistan's interim administration, Mohammad Fahim, has met his Indian counterpart, George Fernandes, in Delhi.

The chiefs of the Indian army and air force also met the Afghan defence minister.

The general is on a four-day visit to India to seek help with retraining Afghanistan's new national army.

Recruits have been drawn from across the country

Later on Monday, he will meet Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee.

He is also due to visit military installations in Pune and Bangalore.

Reports say India is willing to offer military assistance as well as send instructors to Afghanistan.

The Afghan minister's visit comes after India's defence minister visited Tajikistan last month, where he held wide-ranging talks on Afghanistan-related issues.

Long term supporter

Delhi was a staunch supporter of the Northern Alliance, the main Afghan opposition to the Taleban regime which was ousted from Kabul in November.

General Fahim, an ethnic Tajik, replaced the assassinated former commander of the Northern Alliance, Ahmad Shah Masood, with whom India enjoyed a close association.

Afghanistan unveiled a new army in February.

Soldiers in the new force, widely viewed as vital to the future stability of the region, have been drawn from every province and ethnic group in the country.

After more than 20 years of civil war, Afghanistan is full of armed soldiers but most remain loyal to their local clan chiefs or warlords.