This move of Jaishankar will definitely hurt Pakistan and Turkey, is India ‘forging’ a new Afghanistan with Taliban?

New Delhi: On November 6-7 last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had sent an Indian delegation to Afghanistan. Jaishankar wrote a new script to create a new story of India-Afghanistan relations. The Indian delegation met Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, son of Mullah Omar, the former supreme leader in the Taliban government, in 1996. In 2021, the Taliban ousted the government of Afghanistan from power and took control there. After this, relations between Afghanistan and India had become stable. Now in Dubai, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has met the Foreign Minister of the Taliban government, Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaki. Jaishankar has written this script when India’s relations with Pakistan are going through a very bad phase and Pakistan itself is struggling in the war with Afghanistan.

India has not yet recognized Taliban

India has not yet given its official recognition to the Taliban administration in power in Afghanistan. However, India has been considering Afghanistan as its important partner to strengthen its reach in Central Asia. Earlier in June 2022, the Indian delegation and Taliban met in Kabul. The Taliban captured Afghanistan in August 2021, when US forces left Afghanistan. At that time all the employees of the Indian Mission had returned from Afghanistan. Only if the attitude of Taliban remains positive, then India can give approval to the re-opening of the embassy besides giving official recognition to the government there.

Afghanistan’s land should not be used for terrorism in India

India has clearly stated many times that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used in any way to spread terrorism in India. On this, the Foreign Minister of Taliban has also assured India that it will not allow its land to be used against India. At the same time, the Taliban is pressurizing India to allow the appointment of a diplomat from the Taliban Foreign Ministry in the closed Afghan Embassy in New Delhi. Before this, JP Singh, Joint Secretary for Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran Affairs of the Ministry of External Affairs, had been meeting Taliban leaders.

Türkiye is Pakistan’s friend, against India on Kashmir

Türkiye will also come under tension due to this move of Jaishankar. Actually, Türkiye is a friend of Pakistan and it has been supporting Pakistan on Kashmir in all international forums including the United Nations. Apart from this, many people from Afghanistan reach Türkiye via Iran, which Türkiye treats very badly. Türkiye’s attitude towards refugees is considered very bad. he/she is also building a wall to stop such immigrants.

India is giving 3 billion dollars help

India has avoided its military presence in Afghanistan. However, it also views foreign military presence in Afghanistan as necessary to promote political stability and development in the country. America has also urged India to get more involved in this. India has committed more than $3 billion to development efforts in Afghanistan. India has also offered a line of credit of $50 million to Afghanistan between small and medium enterprises in India and Afghanistan.

Here is the equation of relations with Iran

Chabahar port, located in south-eastern Iran, serves as a gateway for India to reach landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia. It also provides an alternative trade route to Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan.

What is the importance of Afghanistan for India

Regional balance of power: Afghanistan is aligned with India’s vision of becoming a regional leader and major power. It also includes its competition with China for resources and its need to counter Pakistani influence.
Geostrategic Position: Afghanistan’s location at the crossroads of South and Central Asia makes it an important hub for India’s regional and international interests.
Hit on Terror: Afghanistan has been a major source of instability and terrorism in the region and India has an interest in ensuring peace and stability in that country.
Energy and Resources: Afghanistan has large amounts of natural resources such as oil, natural gas and minerals and India sees potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in these areas.
Cultural Relations: India and Afghanistan share a rich cultural heritage. India considers promoting cultural people-to-people ties as an important aspect of its relations.
Regional Cooperation: India considers its relations with Afghanistan an important part of its regional cooperation in South Asia. Also committed to supporting Afghanistan’s efforts towards peace, stability and development.
Gateway to Central Asia: Afghanistan’s role as India’s gateway to Central Asia has always been considered of paramount importance.

Is India creating a new Afghanistan?

India is assisting Afghanistan in 116 community development projects, which are to be implemented in 31 provinces of Afghanistan. These also include the areas of education, health, agriculture, irrigation, drinking water, renewable energy, sports and administrative infrastructure. Under this, work will be started on Mulberry Dam and drinking water-irrigation project for Kabul.

Drinking water projects for homes in provinces and some cities

It is proposed to construct low-cost houses in Nagarhar province to encourage resettlement of Afghan refugees. At the same time, road connectivity to Band-e-Amir in Bamiyan province, supply of drinking water to Charikar city in Parwan province and construction of polytechnic in Mazar-e-Sharif are helping.

Extending helping hand in technologies in Kandahar

India has also assured cooperation for the establishment of Afghan National University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (ANASTU) in Kandahar. India is further helping Afghanistan in the use of remote sensing technology with Afghanistan’s participation in the South Asian Satellite launched in May 2017.

Demand to promote visa and trade relations

The Taliban, which is in power in Afghanistan, sought to increase visa-related facilities for Indian students, businessmen, and patients. The Taliban said in a statement that both sides had agreed to facilitate trade and visas.

This friendship can give tension to Pakistan

The new friendship between India and Taliban may increase Pakistan’s concerns. Especially when tension continues on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Taliban had recently attacked Pakistan’s military posts, which had further increased the tension between the two countries. Both countries are carrying out fierce attacks on each other.