New Delhi: As part of India's ongoing assistance to Afghanistan, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on November 3 announced a major financial concession for ongoing reconstruction efforts in the war-ravaged country and assured of other help in this task.

Vajpayee, who was briefed by Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah on progress in the economic reconstruction programmes in his country, approved the remaining $ 68.5 million of the $ 100 million line of credit announced in February this year as a grant.

During the half-an-hour meeting, there was a review of the current state of Indo- Afghan bilateral relations and an assessment of the general situation in that country, particuarly relating to political security and economy, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said.

Emerging from an hour-long meeting with Abdullah, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said the two sides discussed India's role in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan.

He said they reviewed the progress of a number of projects started in that country after the interim administration headed by Hamid Karzai assumed office in December last year.

"Clearly, there was an identity of approach almost on all the issues," he said, adding issues of regional and global concern also figured during the parleys.

PTI