Editorial: Afghan outreach

Invitation to the Taliban to participate in a training course reflects New Delhi’s willingness to engage with them

Hyderabad: The Taliban is here to stay. Though international recognition continues to elude them ever since they captured power in Afghanistan in August 2021, one cannot wish it away for long. Pragmatic diplomacy requires that countries like India need to engage with the new regime in Kabul. The invitation to the Taliban to participate in an online training course, being conducted by the External Affairs Ministry, reflects New Delhi’s willingness to engage with the new rulers. At the same time, India has made it clear to the government in Kabul that it should rein in the anti-India terror outfits operating on its soil. A pragmatic, proactive approach can help New Delhi safeguard its interests in Afghanistan. The four-day virtual crash course, conducted under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme of the External Affairs Ministry, in association with IIM, Kozhikode, called ‘Immersing with Indian thoughts’, covers various aspects of the country’s cultural heritage, governance, legislations, business climate and regulatory ecosystem. Though India does not formally recognise the Taliban regime which captured power following the exit of US troops, it has been extending humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and had also invested in several development projects in the war-torn country. The participation of the Afghan diplomats in the training programme could be seen as a significant step towards rebuilding Delhi-Kabul relations. India, which reopened its embassy in Kabul last year, has long been concerned about Afghan soil being used by Pakistan for terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir.

India’s efforts in Afghanistan have focused on humanitarian aid as well as supporting the people through medicines, vaccines and food. Last June, India sent considerable aid for the Afghans when the earthquake wreaked havoc, killing more than 1,000 people, becoming one of the first countries in the region to respond. India recently sent wheat to the crisis-hit country through Iran’s Chabahar port instead of taking the hassle-prone road route via Pakistan. The Taliban, on its part, see New Delhi as a major stakeholder which can play a key role in facilitating long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan. Having invested billions of dollars in 500-odd projects in Afghanistan after the US invasion of 2001, India needs to have the Taliban on board to resume financial and technical assistance for these development ventures. Reaching out to the Taliban reaffirms the country’s commitment to ensuring regional security and stability. The Taliban’s reluctance to toe Pakistan’s line has provided a window of opportunity for India for diplomatic engagement with Kabul. Islamabad was keen to establish a dominating presence in Afghanistan after the militia seized control of Kabul and had even lobbied for recognition of the Taliban regime internationally. But things did not pan out as per the script of the Pakistani deep state.

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