President of India Condemns Terrorist Attack on Indian Consulate in Herat, Afghanistan

<p><br />The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Indian Consulate in Herat this morning and commended the bravery shown by all Indian and Afghan staff members of the Consulate.</p><p>The President expressed gratitude to the Afghanistan security forces for having quickly responded to the situation and come to the assistance of the Consulate ensuring the safety of our staff and officers. He asked Ministry of External Affairs to remain in close touch with Afghanistan authorities to ensure the continued safety of our diplomatic personnel in the country.</p><p>The President said India will stand united and strong in defending it's security and interests wherever they may be threatened. He called upon Indian security forces to remain alert and give a fitting response to any attempt to harm our country and people.</p><p>The President said such terror attacks will not deter India’s efforts to assist the friendly people of Afghanistan in their efforts to reconstruct and develop their nation.</p><p class="last-word">This release issued at 1140 hrs</p>