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Foreign Policy Watch: India-Afghanistan

With new Great Game, India must engage with the Taliban and Kabul

Explained | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations

Introduction

Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on an official visit, his first since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.

The visit represents a major recalibration in India’s Afghanistan policy, as New Delhi cautiously engages the Taliban regime without formal recognition. India’s approach blends strategic pragmatism and regional security concerns, focusing on maintaining influence in Afghanistan’s evolving geopolitical environment while avoiding premature diplomatic endorsement.

India-Taliban Ties: A Quick Recap

  1. India never formally recognized the Taliban regime prior to or after 2021.
  2. Initial contacts date back to the late 1990s (e.g., during the IC-814 hijacking), but India’s engagement remained limited due to Pakistan’s dominance over the Taliban.
  3. Post-2021, India has maintained pragmatic engagement of humanitarian aid, infrastructure projects, and limited diplomatic outreach without providing de jure recognition.

India’s Post-2021 Approach- Diplomatic Balancing and Western Response:

  1. India adopted a “cautious engagement” policy: restoring a technical mission in Kabul, resuming aid delivery, and holding diplomatic contacts.
  2. In 2025, India announced plans to reopen its embassy in Kabul, initially with a Chargé d’affaires, avoiding formal recognition.
  3. India’s silence on human rights and women’s issues during diplomatic talks reflects strategic restraint, balancing ideological concerns with geopolitical necessity.
  4. The Western response is ambivalent. India’s engagement is scrutinized to ensure it does not inadvertently legitimize the Taliban or dilute India’s democratic credentials.

Taliban and Its Geopolitical Realignments (2024–2025):

  1. China: First major power to exchange ambassadors with the Taliban (2024); deepening economic, mining, and infrastructure ties.
  2. Russia: Moving to delist Taliban as a terrorist group; promoting counterterror cooperation.
  3. Iran: Accepts Taliban rule pragmatically, balancing internal crises with regional influence.
  4. Pakistan: Relations strained — Taliban criticism of Pakistani interference; cross-border tensions with TTP.
  5. United States: Under Trump 2.0, US policy is transactionally disengaged; leaves India more space to engage diplomatically.

India’s Strategic Objectives in Engaging the Taliban:

  1. Maintain influence in Afghanistan to protect long-term investments (infrastructure, education, healthcare).
  2. Prevent Afghan territory from being used for anti-India terrorism.
  3. Counter Pakistan–China influence by remaining a relevant actor in Afghan affairs.
  4. Enable connectivity and trade, via Chabahar port and regional transit routes.
  5. Promote soft power through development cooperation, scholarships, and cultural engagement.

Challenges and Diplomatic Constraints:

  1. Non-recognition dilemma: Engagement without recognition may be seen as de facto endorsement by critics.
  2. Human rights dissonance: Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights conflict with India’s democratic values.
  3. Visa and mobility barriers: Lack of operational consular services hampers people-to-people ties and educational exchanges.
  4. Aid delivery limitations: Security, monitoring, and distribution bottlenecks constrain effective humanitarian impact.
  5. Geopolitical competition: Pakistan and China retain deeper leverage in Afghan affairs; India must navigate their influence.

Way Forward:

  1. Engagement without endorsement: Maintain diplomatic contact while tying cooperation to counterterror assurances.
  2. Humanitarian focus: Channel aid for women and children through UN/trusted NGOs to avoid legitimizing Taliban governance.
  3. Regional coalition building: Leverage multilateral forums (SAARC, SCO, QUAD) to strengthen India’s Afghan policy.
  4. Expand economic roles: Prioritize mining, power, and infrastructure projects to anchor Indian presence.
  5. Broaden diplomatic contacts: Engage Afghan civil society, minorities, and regional stakeholders for balanced outreach.

PYQ Relevance:

[UPSC 2013] The proposed withdrawal of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan in 2014 is fraught with major security implications for the countries of the region. Examine in light of the fact that India is faced with a plethora of challenges and needs to safeguard its own strategic interests.

Linkage: The instability in Kabul, coupled with the influence of external state and non-state actors, directly impacts India’s internal security landscape, especially concerning terrorism, border security challenges, and the potential linkage between organized crime and drug trafficking. Therefore, questions may assess India’s strategic autonomy, humanitarian diplomacy, connectivity projects (like Chabahar), and counter-terrorism strategies, requiring candidates to demonstrate applied knowledge linking foreign policy decisions with internal stability.

 

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