BEIJING – Indian and Chinese leaders have agreed to work jointly on alandmark project in Afghanistan in a bid to bring the two neighboring gianteconomies together in a constructive way in Afghanistan, it has beenreported.

The Indian government sources have said that the agreement was reachedduring a meeting of the two leaders and during Prime Minister NarendraModi’s visit to China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have giventhe go-ahead for India and China to carry out a first-of-its-kind jointproject in Afghanistan, which would emerge as a symbol of the potential tocooperate, not just compete, in the neighbourhood, according to India Todaynewspaper.

The Indian and Chinese officials have not formally commented in this regardso and there are reports regarding the joint project likely to beimplemented in Afghanistan.

This comes as China has stepped up efforts to increase its engagement inAfghanistan amid fears that the growing instability in Afghanistan coldadversely affect the country.

The Chinese foreign minister wing Yi durig a meeting with the NationalSecurity Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar said last week that the politicalleadership of China considers Afghanistan an important neighbor andsupports the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

He also reaffirmed China’s support to Afghanistan in the fight againstterrorism and the elimination of terror groups.

On the other hand, India has played a major role in the reconstruction ofAfghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime and has invested over $2billion in various reconstruction and infrastructure projects.

The construction of the major Salma Dam, the new Afghan parliamentbuilding, Zaranj-Delaram highway, and some other projects are among the keyinvestments India has done so far in the country.

The government of India pledged a fresh aid package of $1 billion tosupport the reconstruction projects in Afghanistan during a visit byPresident Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in late 2016.