- Intro: Afghanistan has always been a theater of geopolitical contestation and great power politics, be it in the 19th century as great game between Russia and Britain, in 20th century between USSR and USA, or in 21st century as USA waged a “war on terror” since 2001
- Robert D Kaplan in his book revenge of geography calls Afghanistan as “breathtakingly strategic.”
- India- Afghanistan:
- India and Afghanistan have A strong relationship based on historical and cultural links.
- Strategic partnership agreement was signed in 2011.
- the basic tenets of India's policy and approach towards Afghanistan remains centered around creation of a democratic , stable and strong Afghanistan in its background.
- India has always remained committed to reconstruction and development of Afghanistan right from Bonn conference of 2001.
- India's approach towards Afghanistan has largely been a function of desire to prevent Pakistan from Dominating Afghanistan and using it as a counter weight to India's preponderance in south Asia. In recent times, India's ties with Afghanistan is driven by its growing regional and global ambitions.
- 5 pillars of India-Afghanistan development partnership-
- Humanitarian assistance
- Economic development
- Capacity building
- Infrastructure
- Connectivity
- India has so far contributed $3 B in Afghanistan’s socio-economic development which makes it 5th highest contributor overall and highest contributor in the region.
- India’s developmental assistance to Afghanistan-
- Technical assistance
- Providing duty-free access to the Indian market for Afghan exports
- Salma Dam
- New parliament building.
- Scholarships to Afghan students
- India’s $3 B development aid to Afghanistan spans all across its 34 provinces.
- “New development partnership” with Afghanistan To increase efforts in infra, capacity building,Hunan resources.
- Indian companies investing in mining sector in Hajgak province
- India Afghanistan foundation has been established to enhance relations through economic,educational,cultural and technical coop.
- Afghanistan cricket board has been allotted 4 cricket grounds in India. India is also involved in building cricket stadiums in Afghanistan (Cricket diplomacy)
- High Impact Community Development Program under which Small to medium scale projects in areas such as education, water management, agriculture, government buildings etc takes place.
- During COVID India exported wheat, pulses, biscuits to ensure food security. It also sent HCQ,diagnostic kits,PPEs , thus generating goodwill.
- TAPI, INSTC.
- India is here to contribute not to compete; to lay the foundations of future, not light the flame of conflict; to rebuild lives, not destroy a nation.- Modi ji at Afghanistan parliament
- Across Afghanistan, India is probably the only country that evokes respect, admiration, and affection of the Afghan people as per polls and surveys. India’s wheat to vaccine diplomacy has further strengthened the caring bonds of brotherhood and friendship.
India's long term ambition to emerge as a great power will be assessed by the international community in terms of its strategic capacity to deal with Afghanistan in its own backyard. | Vivek Katju says- Talking to Taliban is not equality to endorsing their ideology. India can adopt the old diplomatic stance of recognizing a regime without approving of its conduct. Pakistan’s game in Afghanistan has two strategic objectives- 1- to gain an absolute veto over Afghanistan’s India policy 2- to use the Taliban jihadists to create trouble in Kashmir. Pakistan wants a Pak friendly regime in Afghanistan. And if that is not possible they want instability in Afghanistan because in that case India cannot have a an India friendly regime in Afghanistan. So instability in Afghanistan favours Pakistan's strategic interests. |
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- India is taking active part in infra-afghan talks, which also has Taliban on the table, thus giving an implicit recognition to Taliban. This shows a new shift in India's Afghan policy , one which is rooted in realism and dynamism.
- India's other major interest is to make sure that Islamist extremism remains under control in its neighborhood . Any breeding ground of radical Islamist has a direct impact on India's security. Thus, Afghanistan is the most important frontier in combating anti-India terrorism.
- Recently India took part in Moscow format talks with the Taliban, first official inter-govtal engagement , an acceptance of the “new reality” in Afghanistan
- Recently India organised NSA level talks “Delhi regional security dialogue on Afghanistan comprising 5 CARs, Russia and Iran
- For India, convening the Delhi Dialogue was crucial to prove its relevance as a problem solver amid Afghanistan’s multidimensional crises.
- The Taliban, who were not invited by India to the Delhi Dialogue, nevertheless commended the conference as being “in the better interest of Afghanistan,” implying that getting India to recognize their government is key for the group to break out of international isolation and gain wider acceptance.
- Delhi Declaration stated that Afghan territory should not be used for any terrorist acts, nor Afghanistan allowed to become a haven for global terrorism and called for collective cooperation against the menace of radicalism, extremism, separatism, and drug trafficking in the region. Its emphasis on the central role and continued presence of UN and the importance of ensuring respect for fundamental rights of women, children, and minority communities are unexceptionable. The Declaration underlined that Afghan people should be provided humanitarian assistance in an assured manner.
- Seven elements compose India’s approach: provide Afghan people humanitarian assistance; ensure that Afghan territory is not used to spread radicalism or terrorism; preserve the social and economic gains made over past two decades; establish inclusive governance, with the representation of women and minorities; allow the United Nations to play an important role; implement the United Nations Security Council resolution 2593(on the fall of Kabul); and a unified international response to the current situation.
- If the Taliban regime is stabilized in Kabul without India’s assistance to the country, the more it is likely to do Pakistan’s bidding vis-à-vis India. On the other hand, the more India helps the Taliban Afghanistan, the more Pakistan will up the ante in Kashmir. This is a catchy situation that India finds itself in. And yet, India has little choice but to engage the Taliban.
- Way forward:
- Afghanistan will succeed only when terrorism no longer flows across the border; when nurseries and sanctuaries of terrorism are shut; and, their patrons are no longer in business.
- India desires what Mr Jaishankar called “double peace,”both inside Afghanistan and in the region
- Conclusion: Afghan led, afghan owned and afghan controlled peace and resolution process , has to respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and preserve the rights of minorities,women and the progress made in the establishment of a democratic Islamic republic of Afghanistan.
- Use this intro on ques regarding Taliban
- on US defeat- Afghan insurgents have proved former US diplomat and politician Henry Kissinger’s maxim, “The guerrilla wins if he does not lose; the conventional army loses if it does not win.”
- Conclusion- In Afghanistan there is never an end game but always a game in progress