In this article, we will discuss India’s Taliban Challenge (India’s Options). So, let’s get started.
India’s Options
- Broader Diplomatic Engagement: India should consider appointing a special envoy dedicated to Afghanistan. The envoy can ensure that Indian views are expressed at every meeting, and broaden engagement with the Taliban.
- Decoupling of Taliban-Pakistan: Although Pakistan’s leverage over the Taliban is real, it may not be absolute.
- The Taliban is bound to seek a measure of autonomy from Pakistan. India will have to wait a while before the current issues between India and the Taliban can be overcome.
- Balancing the Opportunities in Afghanistan: Structuring the internal balance of power within Afghanistan has always been hard. A deeper Sino-Pak partnership in Afghanistan will inevitably produce countervailing trends.
- However, for a patient, open-minded and active India, there will be no dearth of balancing opportunities in Afghanistan.
- Leverage Indian Infrastructural Developments: Indian USD 3 billion assistance to Afghanistan is in concrete projects that serve its population and have earned it their goodwill that will endure.
- The need today is to not stop the development work in Afghanistan and continue the good work.
- Global Cooperation: There is a lot less global acceptance of terrorism today than in it was in the 1990s.
- No major power would like to see Afghanistan re-emerge as a global sanctuary of terror.
- The world has also imposed significant new constraints on Pakistan’s support for terror through mechanisms like the Financial Action Task Force.
