India Must Exert itself in Afghanistan to prevent pro-Pakistan Government
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Veteran
Afghan security force members are seen on a military vehicle during a military operation in Zhari district of southern Kandahar province, Afghanistan, June 22, 2021
Afghan Army chief General Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai will pay a visit to India from July 27 to 30, as per media report. The visit was scheduled several months ago, though it is taking place amid the ongoing conflict between the Afghan government forces and the Taliban.
Meanwhile the speedy withdrawal of the US and NATO forces is going on at full speed. This means Ahmadzai’s visit is likely to become quite significant and draw wide international attention.
Even though Afghan government troops seem to have been supplied with more advanced equipment by USA , they do not seem to prevail over the Taliban in terms of morale and cohesion. Initial news indicate that Taliban has preoccupied a large number of districts.
However it remains a mystery as to from where the Taliban has been able to muster so much of military hardware ?Which are the countries who have been secretly swarming the Taliban?
The Afghan government at this moment is hard pressed no doubt and it is in the process of seeking more foreign support. India has been supporting the Afghan government economically and militarily.
It has invested heavily in upgrading Afghan economy and has also been providing military training and limited security equipment. So through this trip, Kabul is expected to pursue more support from New Delhi.
The reason why India is supporting the Afghan government is mainly because it hopes for Afghanistan to be a friendly country to India— and not be too close to Pakistan.
New Delhi will not like to see Kabul stand with Islamabad in any anti India activities. India wants to ensure Afghanistan support for India or at least remain neutral in the frictions between India and Pakistan.
Against the backdrop of withdrawal of US and NATO troops, the situation of Afghanistan remains uncertain. Judging from the present circumstances, the Afghan government troops might not be able to completely control the entire Afghanistan. On its own it will not be able to eliminate the Taliban forces.
This will give the Taliban an important role in Afghan politics in the future. At the very least, it can participate in politics of the country. Though removing the present Afghan government troops and take power over the country presently does not seem to be so easy.
The Taliban’s spokesperson Suhail Shaheen recently said that New Delhi should remain neutral and not give the current Kabul administration any military support, according to Indian media. The Indian media also reported that India is planning to activate direct channels of communication with the Taliban.
As the Taliban do not want to see India give the current Afghan government any military support, they need to talk to India and at the same time listen to its advice closely.
Every one is therefore closely watching and awaiting New Delhi’s actions during the visit of Ahmadzai. India Cannot and should not abandon its support to the present legitimate Government of Afghanistan.
Though while maintaining close relations with the Afghan government, there is no harm in seeking to interact with the Taliban. China seems to be doing the same thing ie having talks with both the Afghan Government and the Taliban.
India’s biggest concern of Afghanistan is to ensure that an anti-India and pro-Pakistan government does not emerge. With the pullout of the US and NATO forces, India will actively promote the negotiations and peace process in Afghanistan.
India is now a formidable player not only in Asia, but also major power on the global scale. It should be willing to proactively participate in any regional and global affairs, which falls within its area if influence and area of interest. This includes the Afghan issue which directly affects its security interests.
