Afghan President Hamid Karzai holds talks in India

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has arrived in India for talks about security and development. Several strategic accords are due to be signed during meetings with PM Manmohan Singh and other leaders. India is a major player in Afghanistan and has already pledged $2bn (£1.3bn) in assistance. Mr Karzai's visit to Delhi follows a series of high-profile attacks in Afghanistan and deteriorating relations with Pakistan, India's long-term rival. In a recent statement, Mr Karzai said his government would work closely with the US, Europe and India to plan Afghanistan's future. Many in India see a key role for the country in the light of these developments. The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder says that Delhi is also concerned about the security situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially as foreign troops begin to withdraw from the region. India is one of Afghanistan's biggest donors, having pledged money for projects ranging from road construction to the building of the Afghan parliament - and is keen to play a bigger role. Most of the accords Mr Karzai will sign are related to Indian-funded development projects, our correspondent says. The Indian Express newspaper reported on Sunday that President Karzai would sign a "strategic partnership" agreement with Prime Minister Singh. The proposed pact is believed to include an Indian commitment to increase its training of Afghan security forces, including the police. Correspondents say that India's involvement in Afghanistan is extremely sensitive because Pakistan views the country as its backyard. Delhi has often accused Islamabad of links to groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Haqqani network that have carried out attacks in Afghanistan on Indian targets, including an assault on the Indian embassy in Kabul in July 2008, in which 40 people were killed.