New Delhi

India is deeply concerned over Pakistan’s links with the Taliban and other terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad in the wake of the recent developments in Afghanistan.

These concerns were raised at the first ever comprehensive review of Afghanistan's situation held jointly by India and Russia in Delhi.

The security authorities of the two countries led by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart Nikolay Petrushev held discussions over the emerging situation in Delhi on Wednesday.

In the meeting it turned out that both the countries have common concerns about the Taliban ruled Afghanistan becoming a hub of terrorism and narcotics trade  and its impact on the security of the region and have decided to fight the situation jointly.

The two countries share concern about the presence of terror groups in Afghanistan and the threat from them to the region. Russia is worried about the threat of terrorism, religious radicalism and extremism spreading to the central Asian countries. Both the countries are worried about the flow of weapons to terrorist groups and smuggling across Afghan borders and high chances of Afghanistan becoming a hub of opium production and trafficking under the Taliban rule.

India, on the other hand, pointed to Pakistan's links with Taliban and other international terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan. The Indian side said Pakistan bears a special responsibility to ensure Afghanistan soil is not used to spread terrorism in countries of the region.

India highlighted links of Pak ISI with terror groups in Afghanistan such as Lahskar-e-toiba an Jaish-e-Mohmmad.

Both the countries have decided to forge cooperation at the level of  intelligence sharing.                                  

The two sides discussed concrete forms of future bilateral cooperation among security and intelligence agencies, including close coordination, upgrading consultations and

exchange of information.

India expressed concern for the security of the Hindu and Sikh minorities in Afghanistan.