India has generational links and a solid reputation in Afghanistan of being a benign collaborator and a true friend. The religious or political beliefs of the national government in Afghanistan should not be a barrier to continued co-operation for its social and economic development. India is a significant regional power and no stranger to the binding force of religion, including Islam, and recognizes its facilitating role in social development. There could be synergies between two countries, marching to different drumbeats, if both are responsive to a common agenda of sustainable economic development, for mutual benefit.