The Labor leader's clarification came as the opposition called for more troops to be made available in the war on terror, and the Australian Greens called for new laws to ensure any further deployments needed parliamentary approval.
Ms Gillard on Tuesday started a historic debate on the Afghanistan mission, spelling out the government's plans to gradually withdraw the current 1550 troops from the war-torn nation over the next two to four years.
But, Ms Gillard said, the mission would continue into the next decade, with Australia continuing to provide aid and security in other ways.
Asked by reporters on Wednesday to clarify whether troops would be part of the decade-long aid and security mission, Ms Gillard said: "I think we can conceptualise that there would be some overwatch functions for a period of time and ... continued support for training over a period of time.
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"The military does a range of work which is not direct combat work - you could imagine trainers being there supporting leadership development for the Afghan National Army."
During Wednesday's debate, opposition frontbencher Stuart Robert said the government should consider enabling Australia's military commander to draw on troops in the Middle East to boost forces in Afghanistan.
The government says it will maintain an average of 1550 troops during the transition phase.
Mr Robert also told parliament it may be necessary for the Karzai government to engage more with the Taliban to get a lasting solution.
"The Karzai government needs to significantly improve its levels of legitimacy and governance beyond the major cities and into the regional areas where the Taliban still wield considerable influence," he said.
"This will require political engagement with the Afghan Taliban warlords and tribal elders, which may well lead in future to political power sharing to seek consensus."
Ms Gillard said the Australian government supported political reconciliation but would not support a return to Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for extremists as it was under Taliban rule.
"Political reconciliation needs to be about a laying down of arms and an acceptance of the Afghanistan constitution and democratic process," she said.
"There are people who have done some work for the insurgency - digging a ditch in which an improvised explosive device is placed, to earn money to feed their families ... but are not motivated fighters."
Greens MP Adam Bandt, who has flagged a bill to ensure parliamentary approval is needed for future deployments, rejected the idea that the war was about ending the threat of the Taliban.
"We know there are extensive talks between the Karzai government and Taliban leader Mullah Omar and others, aimed at reconciliation and dealing them squarely into government," he said.
"(But) .... it somewhat undermines the claim that Taliban is the enemy that must be opposed at all costs, including the cost of taking and sacrificing lives."
Former intelligence analyst, independent MP Andrew Wilkie, told parliament that Ms Gillard's admission of a decade-long commitment was "extraordinary".
"If it was up to me, I'd be very concerned with any military plan that still had us fighting in Afghanistan in 10 months time, let alone 10 years," he said.
Mr Wilkie, who shed tears for Australia's fallen soldiers during his address, said more MPs should speak from the heart instead of being "so ready to sacrifice your soul for your party's political self-interest".
