It has also urged Afghanistan to develop rail connectivity to link Chabahar port in Iran so that India-Afghanistan trade can flourish through this route.

Addressing a Conference on Doing Business with Afghanistan here on Monday, the Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said : “Indian business sees enormous opportunity in Afghanistan's stability' and looks forward to Afghanistan becoming the bridge between South Asia and Central Asia and beyond into Europe.

Khurshid cited the 1961 Hindi film 'Kabuliwala' to stress on the close links and trade ties between India and Afghanistan and said India has an 'open arms approach' to Afghanistan. Referring to the Balraj Sahni starrer, he said the film had helped spur commerce between the two countries.

'We have an open arms approach and we hope that your confidence in yourself will reflect the confidence you repose in India.' As the lead country in supporting Afghanistan's nation building process, 'We have no exit policy and we will be with you for so long as you desire, in good times and bad times,' he added.

The conference on 'Doing Business with Afghanistan' was jointly organized by the apex Indian industry body FICCI, India's Ministry of External Affairs and Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The conference was partnered by Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and supported by the Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan and the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency.

A paper on 'Doing Business with Afghanistan' was released by Khurshid. Also, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed and exchanged between FICCI and Afghanistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry.

The Afghan Finance Minister Dr Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal pointed out that the Afghan government was committed to unleashing more and deeper reforms to make the business environment friendlier. 'The future of Afghanistan resting on the planks of transit, trade and tourism will positively contribute to internal stability and stability in the region,' he said and assured Indian investors that they would be dealt with on a privilege basis and 'You will consider your decision as a wise one.'

He called upon the international business community not to be swayed by doomsday prediction of chaos in Afghanistan as the country was today undergoing three major transitions - security, political and economic.

Speaking on the security transition in Afghanistan, he said, foreign troops will withdraw from the country by the end of 2014. Dr. Zakhilwal assured that the security of the country has strengthened and the people of Afghanistan are whole-heartedly supporting the efforts of the Afghan security forces.

'This has primarily been possible because of the support of the people,' he said, adding that this year 300 suicide bombers had been sent to Afghanistan to desabilise the country.

He said post-2014 elections, Afghanistan will be more secure, stable, united and process-oriented. Afghan's young and talented populace is now in-charge of the affairs of the country and these young people are keen to ensure that apart from internal integration, Afghanistan integrates fully with the rest of the world. A manifestation of this integration is that there are today as many as 18.5 million mobile phones for the total population of 30 million, connecting the remotest districts of Afghanistan.

Furthermore, all the 10 candidates currently in the election fray have given highest priority to building an inclusive society and are willing to forsake winability for the sake of inclusiveness. This has further contributed to the unity of Afghan people.

Apart from the Afghan finance minister, the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Mohammad Asif Rahimi, Deputy Minister of Trade Mozammel Shinwari, Deputy Minister of Mining Jamil Hares, Deputy Minister of Urban Development Hamid Jalil, former Minister of Higher Education Dr Sharif Fayez, senior government officials, businessmen and intellectuals from Afghanistan are participating in the conference.

The two-day conference is taking a close look at investment opportunities and sector-speciific challenges in mining and energy, agriculture, food processing and packaging, infrastructure and logistics, services (banking, insurance, health, education), regulation and prospects for regional cooperation through trade and investment.