KABUL - Mohammad Karim Khalili, the Second Vice-President of Afghanistan, visited in New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Khalili's three-day visit is expected to advance recently announced plans for Indian economic and military aid to Afghanistan.

In addition to meeting with a number of Indian businessmen to discuss investment opportunities in Afghanistan, Mr. Khalili will be meeting with high ranking Indian military officials to flesh out details of military assistance the Indian government has pledged.

In October of 2011, President Karzai and Indian PM Manmohan Singh signed a strategic partnership agreement in the first of many steps the two countries have taken to become closer allies in recent years. Along with commitments to help Afghanistan develop in the fields of education and infrastructure, the partnership also entails military support from India in the form of capacity building and equipment for the Afghan National Police (ANP) and Afghan National Army (ANA).

Just last week, AK Antony, the Indian Defense Minister, reassured that his government would live up to its commitment to provide military aid to Afghanistan. With the departure of foreign troops in 2014, the Indian government expects to play an increasingly larger role in support for its war-torn south Asian neighbor.

The warming alliance between India and Afghanistan, codified in agreements like the strategic partnership, is considered especially important by many geopolitical analysts in light of the growing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, India's longtime rival in the region.

Yet a number of Afghan military experts believe that India is not in a position to provide the Afghan military with heavy weaponry, which it says it needs. "India is not in a state to equip the Afghan forces with heavy weapons. However, India will train the Afghan soldiers and provide light weapons," Ghulam Sarwar Niazi, an Afghan military expert told TOLOnews.

Indian officials confirmed that during the three-day trip Karim Khalili will meet Salman Khurshid, Minister of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and discuss ways to further strengthen the relations between the two countries.

Earlier in May, President Karzai visited India to discuss the strategic partnership between the two countries, and how cooperation between the government in Kabul and New Delhi would be maintained. (Tolo News)