 These mud walls could be anywhere. Were it not for these signs? But then, this is Afghanistan. A check sign tells you that the wall has been cleared. The crosses mark a landline. And the omnipresent bullet holes are testimony to its turbulent past. This land, steeped in history, has had to pay an enormous price for its geography. Today, this melting pot of civilisations is on the cusp of change. For these ancient people, the journey is uphill. Nonetheless, a neighbour is with them every step of the journey. Things that would be normal and routine in any other place, movies, music, sports or fashion, are achievements in Afghanistan. What was once common and customary was destroyed during decades of occupation, civil war and the dark rule of the Taliban. Today, there is new hope. The war is over. The Afghans, all set to rebuild their nation, are clinging to their newfound peace. And India is helping them in every possible way to restore the broken threads of their lives. Relations between India and Afghanistan have deep, deep roots going over centuries. There have been people-to-people movement between the two countries for ages. We see that India is going out of its way to help Afghanistan and its reconstruction and its walk towards the future. The Afghans have always looked upon India as a friend, a friend who has always taken the lead in extending its help and cooperation. An entire generation of Afghans has grown up learning the skills of war. Traditional skills and craftsmanship were almost non-existent. For reconstruction to be effective, Afghanistan needed a skills revolution. The government of India has set forth on a mission to replace guns with jobs in Afghanistan. Training was imparted in India under schemes such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program and scholarships given by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Diplomats were trained at the Foreign Service Institute and vocational training given by the Confederation of Indian Industries. India facilitated broadcasting in ten provinces, set up RTA's TV stations in Kabul and similar facilities at Jalalabad in Nangarhar. India also allowed the use of its INSAT 3A satellite for downlinking. Work is on to cover the remaining 22 provinces and set up a 100 kilowatt shortwave transmitter for Kabul Radio. A modern and disciplined security force was imperative for the country. India undertook many measures for creating such a force. It gifted 300 vehicles to the Afghan National Army, provided 25 tons of winter clothing and promised 5,000 meters of summer uniform cloth besides supplying communication equipment to the Afghan forces and providing training to its personnel. The world's biggest and youngest democracies hope to gain from each other and stand together on many issues. Well, we stand together on lots of issues. We stand together for democracy. We stand together for the fight against terrorism. We stand together for a life based on a better value system for all of the mankind, of peace, of tolerance, of understanding and of respecting each other's viewpoint and accepting diversity among people and respecting that.