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India May Consider Making Strategic Move on Afghanistan: Experts
India May Consider Making Strategic Move on Afghanistan: Experts
Sputnik India
There is no doubt that India needs a stable neighbourhood and a prosperous Afghanistan. With this in mind, New Delhi could consider making a strategic move in... 29.11.2023, Sputnik India
2023-11-29T19:12+0530
2023-11-29T19:12+0530
2023-11-30T11:51+0530
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Following an announcement of the closure of the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi, the Taliban's* consul general in Mumbai issued a press statement that Consul General Ms Zakia Wardak and acting Consul General Mr Sayed Mohammad Ibrahimkhil had assumed leadership roles at the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi.Afghanistan's Embassy in New Delhi formally announced its permanent closure on Thursday, attributing it to pressure to cease operations in India permanently from both the Taliban in Kabul and the Indian government, and lack of support from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).Against this backdrop, Sputnik India spoke to Professor Happymon Jacob, director of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research (CSDR), Major General Sanjay Meston (Retd), defence attaché to Kabul, and Anant Mishra, Afghanistan expert, in order to gain a better understanding of India’s policy towards Afghanistan.What is India’s Policy on Afghanistan?“India and the Taliban had regular discussions concerning ‘terrorism’ both before and after they [the Taliban] came to power; in fact, Indian intelligence officers have connected with Taliban fighters in the past and these conversations have been occurring for the past two years”, Professor Jacob said.Meanwhile, Mishra stated that “Regional partners such as India have an obligation to support the people and not focus on those in positions of authority. Therefore, India's policy towards Afghanistan is not in respect to the government, but rather towards the people of Afghanistan. India continues to support the Afghan people and has been providing humanitarian aid and assistance using the Chabahar Port”.India's Eyes Are on Its Neighbour Mishra insisted that the outcome of the 22-year US involvement in Afghanistan is widely known. According to the expert, other countries ought to be aware of the lessons Washington's involvement in Afghanistan demonstrated. India has studied the Afghan experience in detail and is keen to avoid such a scenario.Afghanistan is Strategically Important for IndiaAt the same time, the General recalled that India shares a 106-kilometre (66-mile) border with Afghanistan, which also makes it a strategic relationship.India's Economic Interest Lies With Afghan Natural ResourcesSanjay Meston added that “Given that Afghanistan has untapped mineral resources worth $4.1 trillion and some gas reserves, India has economic interest in the Amu Darya Basin of Afghanistan. Similar to this, India has an interest in Afghanistan's enormous coal reserves, iron ore, and copper mines”.*The Taliban is under UN sanctions for extremism.
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India May Consider Making Strategic Move on Afghanistan: Experts
19:12 29.11.2023 (Updated: 11:51 30.11.2023) There is no doubt that India needs a stable neighbourhood and a prosperous Afghanistan. With this in mind, New Delhi could consider making a strategic move in its Afghan policy.
Following an announcement of the closure of the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi, the Taliban's* consul general in Mumbai issued a press statement that Consul General Ms Zakia Wardak and acting Consul General Mr Sayed Mohammad Ibrahimkhil had assumed leadership roles at the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi.
Afghanistan's Embassy in New Delhi formally announced its permanent closure on Thursday, attributing it to pressure to cease operations in India permanently from both the Taliban in Kabul and the Indian government, and lack of support from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
“Urge everyone to kindly ignore and disregard the unprofessional and irresponsible communications issued by the former Afghan diplomats who are based abroad and, therefore, from now onwards, have no locus standi in the internal affairs of the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi,” the statement said.
Against this backdrop, Sputnik India spoke to Professor Happymon Jacob, director of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research (CSDR), Major General Sanjay Meston (Retd), defence attaché to Kabul, and Anant Mishra, Afghanistan expert, in order to gain a better understanding of India’s policy towards Afghanistan.
What is India’s Policy on Afghanistan?
“India and the Taliban had regular discussions
concerning ‘terrorism’ both before and after they [the Taliban] came to power; in fact, Indian intelligence officers have connected with Taliban fighters in the past and these conversations have been occurring for the past two years”, Professor Jacob said.
While discussing the recent development on the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, Jacob said, “A CDA, which has been appointed by the Taliban, is believed to have been in New Delhi for more than a year. As a result of his incapacity to formally submit his credentials, his current situation remains unclear. This is consistent with India's policy of not recognising the Taliban until it has fulfilled its international obligation”.
Meanwhile, Mishra stated that “Regional partners such as India have an obligation to support the people and not focus on those in positions of authority. Therefore, India's policy towards Afghanistan is not in respect to the government, but rather towards the
people of Afghanistan. India continues to support the Afghan people and has been providing humanitarian aid and assistance using the Chabahar Port”.
India's Eyes Are on Its Neighbour
“India and Afghanistan have had a long and generational relationship since the Silk Road's development. In that regard, the Indo-Afghan partnership is not only strategic; rather, it is focused on providing medical and healthcare supplies, and soft infrastructure i.e., India Friendship Dam (AIFD), Salma Dam is one component of it,” Mishra said.
Mishra insisted that the outcome of the 22-year
US involvement in Afghanistan is widely known. According to the expert, other countries ought to be aware of the lessons Washington's involvement in Afghanistan demonstrated. India has studied the Afghan experience in detail and is keen to avoid such a scenario.
Afghanistan is Strategically Important for India
“India is undoubtedly concerned about the Taliban due to their growing closeness to China. But India knows that to prosper, Afghanistan needs partnerships and business investment, not bullets and bombs. Thus, in the absence of any financial or other engagements with the rest of the international community, and with the United States withholding the funds that the former Afghan government had stashed in various foreign banks, the Taliban has no choice but to reach out to China,” Professor Happymon Jacob said.
At the same time, the General recalled that India shares a 106-kilometre (66-mile) border with Afghanistan, which also makes it a strategic relationship.
India's Economic Interest Lies With Afghan Natural Resources
“India continues to monitor Chinese activities in Afghanistan with regard to mines and minerals, especially those related to lithium and energy railway elements,” Anant Mishra shared with Sputnik India.
Sanjay Meston added that “Given that Afghanistan has
untapped mineral resources worth $4.1 trillion and some gas reserves, India has economic interest in the Amu Darya Basin of Afghanistan. Similar to this, India has an interest in Afghanistan's enormous coal reserves, iron ore, and copper mines”.
At the same time, Mishra pointed out that “India needs to move past and consider making strategic moves before Indians fade away from the memories of Afghans”.
*The Taliban is under UN sanctions for extremism.
