Closely monitoring reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, in touch with all stakeholders

MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the situation in Afghanistan was also discussed at the India-Central Asia Dialogue held in Uzbekistan last month.

The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of India, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The topic was likely to be discussed at the next Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral foreign ministers' meeting, scheduled to take place at the end of this month, Kumar said.

"India is and will continue to take all necessary steps to bring peace and stability in the region.

"We are not only closely following the developments which are related to the peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan by different stakeholders, but I must also add that we are in regular contact with all other players, stakeholders, including Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia," he added.

Kumar also said last week, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, met Zalamay Khalizad, the US envoy to Afghanistan, who briefed him on America's efforts in the region.

The two sides agreed to "continue to maintain a close contact with each other" on the matter, he added.

Kumar said India also participated in the ministerial meeting on "Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East" in Poland's Warsaw on February 13-14, which was held at the level of secretaries.

The conference was organised on the initiative of Poland and the US on the topic of peace and security in West Asia.

"India has abiding interest in the region. The region hosts a 9.2 million-strong Indian community, whose well-being and welfare are of paramount importance for us. This region is the source of over 50 per cent of our oil and 70 per cent of our gas needs. It is also a large trading partner, accounting for over USD 110 billion of India's trade in 2016-17," Kumar said.

The emergence of terrorist groups like the ISIS posed a common challenge to India and the countries of the region and the region was also critical for our maritime security and the security of the sea lanes of communication, he added.