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India’s Afghan Outreach and Taliban - Coggle Diagram
India’s Afghan Outreach and Taliban
Context
India is now less divided about the need to engage formally with the Taliban
Afghan people’s (and even Taliban’s) affection for India is at all time high
India signed an MoU with the World Food Programme (WFP) to send 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan
A quick timeline of engagement
Taliban trained mujahideen factions into Kabul
1999 hijacking of IC814
Beginning of Kashmir Insurgency in 1996
Pakistani hijackers took the plane to Kandahar
From 1996 to now, India opposed download
When did India reach out to the Talibans?
New Delhi did not want to be left out or marginalized in the Afghanistan of the future
But by 2010, with increasing doubts about the US continuance
Ceasefire afte the execution of Bin Laden in 2011
After 9/11, under the US umbrella, India invested money and energy into the rebuilding of Afghanistan
India’s considerations
Patronage to terror outfits like LeT
Threats of jihad in Kashmir
Restrictions on women
Maintenance of trade route to Central Asia
Spread of Radicalism
Why is India engaging with the Taliban now?
Averting another crisis
Eliminating terrorism
Inducing political insight
Afghanistan impacts India’s security
Reducing Pakistan’s footprint
Protecting its investment
Humanitarian assistance
Way forward
Better for the pursuit of national interests in the external sphere
Cold and undeterred pursuit of interests
Visit has encouraged those elements within the group who wish to open up its diplomatic choices.
Recognition of the Taliban government is not on the cards yet
An engagement with Taliban would at least give an opportunity to convey Indian concerns directly.