INDIA’S IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH TALIBAN MAKE SOUND DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC SENSE

Why is India talking with the Taliban? The Taliban are a throwback to the early Muslim invaders who made inroads into the subcontinent and who did the talking only with the sword? They came in through the Khyber Pass and ran rampage from the border to ‘Dilli’.

Today, for the years since 2021, the Taliban was taboo. But in the name of diplomacy, India and  Afghanistan are talking, even if self-righteous Indians had nothing good to say about the Taliban, which is a word in the Pashto language that translates to “students.”

The Arabic translation is ‘two students.” The first of the Taliban originated in northwestern Pakistan and Pakistan nurtured the Taliban for what these “students” could offer to Pakistan’s hegemonic designs in the region.

Pakistan’s planned dominance of Afghanistan depended on the Taliban. But the Frankenstein proved to be too big for Pakistan to handle. The salwar-sporting Taliban, sometimes terrorists and sometimes rulers, have been imposing their version of Islamic rule on the people of Afghanistan with Afghanistan’s women treated like doormats.

The Taliban, some of the hardest fighters in the world while being some of the worst human beings on the face of the earth, are today ruling Afghanistan with an iron fist. But all of a sudden India is “a significant
regional and economic partner” of the Taliban.

It gives India brownie points against arch-enemy Pakistan. Maybe even against the People’s Republic of
China. India’s most senior foreign ministry officials met with Afghanistan’s most senior foreign ministry officials in Dubai and it was like ‘Kabuliwala.’

The movie with the same name was a feel-good film and ‘Kabuliwala’ was the friendliest Afghan of Indians. Now a fading memory, nobody talks of ‘Kabuliwala’ anymore. The current crop of Indian children haven’t a clue who ‘Kabuliwala’ was and the current crop of Indian filmmakers won’t hazard a remake!

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan occurred in 2021. Now, almost four years on, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The two nations plan to raise diplomatic relations to a new higher level. And the Taliban regime gave an assurance to India that Afghan soil would never be a “threat to any nation”.

The Taliban also rewarded India with the “key regional and economic player” title. Next could be Afghanistan’s biggest and most prestigious civilian award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi? Does Afghanistan have an award of that significance? Don’t forget, Prime Minister Modi is the most-awarded
Prime Minister ever.

Getting back to Dubai and the talks, this was the first “publicly acknowledged engagement” between India and Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021. And it is Afghanistan which wants to raise the level of diplomatic relations and an easing of the visa regime for Afghan businessmen, Afghan patients-in-need, and Afghan students.

Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri shook hands on the deal. Economic ties with India for a balanced and economy-centric foreign policy is Afghanistan’s goal. “Assuring the Indian delegation that Afghanistan does not pose a threat to any nation, FM Muttaqi expressed hope for raising the level of diplomatic relations, and easing the visa regime for Afghan businessmen, patients and students.” India is most worried of Afghanistan becoming home to anti-
India terror groups.

India has “appreciated Afghanistan’s efforts” in ensuring security, and combating narcotics and corruption. The Indian Foreign Secretary emphasised India’s interest in expanding political and economic relations with Afghanistan, and promoting trade through Iran’s Chabahar Port, which India helped build.

Back in New Delhi, after the meeting in Dubai, the MEA officials said India would actively involve itself in development projects in Afghanistan, starting with helping Afghanistan in the health sector. Whoever said the Taliban is a terror group not interested in development and “modern in its beliefs” thought wrong.

Reports say the “Afghan side” understood India’s “sensitivities” connected with India’s security concerns. The talks followed India “unequivocally” condemning the Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan that left scores of Afghan civilians dead and injured.

That said, India hasn’t yet recognised the Taliban rule in Afghanistan and wants an inclusive government in Kabul, first. The Modi government is sensitive to Afghan soil being used for terrorist activities and the falling out between Afghanistan and Pakistan is the best thing that could have happened in the context of the subcontinent.

In a manner of speaking, Pakistan is caught between a wall and an ugly place after it bombed Afghanistan. India has promised to provide material support to Afghanistan’s for the rehabilitation of refugees though at a larger level, there is no guarantee whether the Taliban can be trusted to play by the rules, always.

Do Pakistan-based terror groups, like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which survive on a diet of anti-India rhetoric and actions, have links with the Taliban? Afghanistan has never had stability. Something disruptive is always cooking in Afghanistan and “outsiders” have always ended up burning their fingers getting involved in Afghanistan’s affairs.

Nevertheless, India must carry forward this initiative and encourage the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan to stick to the gameplan to not only make progress of Afghanistan its top agenda but also strive to keep at bay the hegemonic designs of Pakistan.

When the USA-NATO left Afghanistan in chaos and the Taliban took control, Pakistan had gloated at the fix India found itself in. Today, with Pakistan on the wrong side of Afghanistan, it is India’s chance to build a lasting relationship with Afghanistan.

Apart from diplomatic relations and India’s security concerns, humanitarian aid was also the focus of the “highest-level” talks. Boosting trade through the Chabahar Port in Iran must be worrying for both Pakistan and China.

Ultimately, the collapse of the NATO-led administration in Afghanistan in August 2021 is proving to be to India’s advantage. Both sides ought to broadbase relations and continue forward relentlessly. Next time hold the talks not in Dubai but in Kabul or New Delhi.

India’s humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has included food aid, earthquake relief aid, pesticides, polio doses, COVID Vaccine, hygiene kits for the drug addiction, winter clothing and stationery kits. With that India has
joined China and Russia in aiding development projects on Afghan soil.

Don’t forget Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic, now with an economy-focused foreign policy. The Taliban regime of Afghanistan craves international recognition. India should play its best game in Chanakya-niti to beat enemy Pakistan at its own game.