India Afghanistan’s Complex Ties : Security, Aid and Economic Interests

India Afghanistan Historical Ties and Cultural Links

India and Afghanistan have a relationship going back thousands of years, with extensive cultural and trade links across the region. Shared history includes:

  • Ancient trade routes like the Silk Road connected the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia and Afghanistan, facilitating exchanges of goods, ideas, religions and more. Buddhism, in particular, traveled from India through Afghanistan to Central Asia and China.
  • Several ruling dynasties spanned both India and Afghanistan, like the Kushanas and the Mughals. The Kushana empire stretched across northern India and Afghanistan in the 1st-3rd century CE. The Mughal empire at its height in the 17th century included much of India, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
  • Bollywood films and movie stars have been immensely popular in Afghanistan for decades, exposing Afghans to aspects of Indian culture and society. Even during the rule of the Taliban, clandestine screenings of Bollywood films remained a form of entertainment and escape.
  • Cricket is a hugely popular sport in both India and Afghanistan. The Afghanistan cricket team has been using training facilities in India for years, and games between the two countries attract lots of interest from fans in both nations.

These long-standing historical and cultural connections foster goodwill and positivity between the Indian and Afghan peoples. Leaders emphasize these ties when strengthening relations between the two countries.

India Afghanistan : Diplomatic Relations and Strategic Partnerships

Official diplomatic ties between India and Afghanistan date back to 1950. Key events include:

  • India recognized the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in 1980, being one of the few non-Communist countries to do so.
  • In 2011, India and Afghanistan signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement to deepen cooperation in areas like security, economics and institution-building. This signaled India’s long-term commitment to Afghanistan’s development.
  • Regional forums like the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process provide a multilateral framework for India-Afghanistan cooperation on issues like counterterrorism and rebuilding Afghanistan’s economy.

India’s backing has allowed Afghanistan to exercise some independence in its foreign policy choices despite pressure from Pakistan. The relationship with India is also aimed at countering the influence of Pakistan and militant groups that operate along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

India’s Infrastructure Development and Aid to Afghanistan

India has been the largest regional donor to Afghanistan’s reconstruction efforts, with over $3 billion committed since 2001:

  • Infrastructure projects include construction of roads, dams, power infrastructure and the Afghan Parliament building.
  • Salma Dam: It is a hydroelectric and irrigation dam project located on the Hari River in Herat Province, Afghanistan. Funded and built by India at a cost of $300 million.
  • India provides thousands of scholarships and training opportunities for Afghan students and professionals every year.
  • Over 3 million tons of wheat has been sent to Afghanistan to ensure food security over the past decade.

Aid projects emphasize developing Afghan capacity, improving lives of common citizens, and building goodwill for India. They aim to undermine support for radicalization narratives promoted by groups like the Taliban.

salma dam
salma dam

India Afghanistan : Political and Security Cooperation

India strongly backed the post-2001 government in Afghanistan and its fight against the Pakistan-backed Taliban:

  • India provided combat helicopters and conducted training programs for Afghan security forces before the collapse of the Ghani government in 2021.
  • However, India has avoided direct military intervention against the Taliban to prevent escalation with Pakistan.
  • India adopted a cautious approach after the Taliban takeover in 2021. It has given development and humanitarian aid but not formally recognized the regime yet.

Managing relations with the Taliban regime to prevent Afghanistan again becoming a hub of anti-India terror groups remains a key Indian objective. But India also wants to limit the influence of Pakistan, which has a complicated relationship with the Taliban government.

India Afghanistan : Economic and Trade Relations

India has growing economic interests in Afghanistan beyond development assistance:

  • Indian firms have invested over $10 billion in Afghanistan’s iron ore, copper and other mineral resources in recent years. Improving transportation connectivity with Central Asia also has economic motivations.
  • Bilateral trade has grown from virtually nothing in 2001 to around $1.5 billion in 2019, with further potential as Afghanistan taps global markets.
  • Projects like the Chabahar port in Iran and linking Chabahar to Afghanistan’s Ring Road provide alternatives to trading routes through Pakistan.
  • The Delaram-Zaranj Highway is a 218km highway built by India connecting Delaram district in Farah province to Zaranj city near the Iranian border in Nimruz province of Afghanistan.

Utilising the economic potential of a stabilized Afghanistan is a strategic priority for India after years of instability in the country.

delaram zaranj highway
delaram zaranj highway

Challenges and Incidents between India & Afghanistan

India’s engagement with Afghanistan has been impacted by security threats and incidents such as:

  • The 2008 bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul by the Haqqani Network killed 58 people, highlighting risks even before the Taliban takeover.
  • Following the 2021 Taliban takeover, India evacuated diplomats and temporarily closed its embassy. Some Indian infrastructure projects have faced uncertainty under Taliban rule.
  • Terror attacks on targets like the Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul have renewed fears that anti-India groups like ISIS and LeT operate in Afghanistan with impunity.

Managing security risks while continuing to engage with Afghanistan remains a policy dilemma for India. But India’s cultural links and developmental aid have built strong goodwill among common Afghans over the past two decades. Leveraging these assets must be a key part of India’s strategy going forward.

India’s Regional Strategy and Engagement With Afghanistan

Efforts to Bypass Pakistan for Transportation Links

India has long faced challenges in trading with Afghanistan and Central Asia due to its tense relations with neighboring Pakistan. Pakistan has not allowed India to transport goods through its territory to Afghanistan.

To overcome this hurdle, India has pursued alternative transportation routes that bypass Pakistan:

  • Chabahar Port: India has invested over $500 million in developing Iran’s Chabahar port on the Arabian Sea and associated rail and road infrastructure. This provides India access to Afghanistan and Central Asian markets while bypassing Pakistan.
  • Air Corridor: India and Afghanistan launched an dedicated air freight corridor in 2017 to provide greater access for Afghan agricultural products to the Indian market.
  • INSTC Corridor: India is a key partner in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200 km network of ship, rail, and road routes connecting India to Russia and Europe via Iran, Azerbaijan and Central Asia. This ambitious project has faced delays, but India remains committed to its potential.

India’s Search for a New Role in Afghanistan

India has struggled to define its role in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal, Taliban takeover, and constantly shifting geopolitics. Concerns over terrorism, Pakistan’s influence, and implications for regional trade have shaped India’s approach.

  • Initially India was wary of engaging with the Taliban regime and focused on humanitarian assistance. But India has cautiously expanded engagement, while stopping short of granting formal recognition.
  • India seeks to support an “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled process for enduring peace and reconciliation” but remains concerned over the Taliban’s ties to Pakistan.
  • India continues to provide aid and monitor its disbursement through a technical team in its Kabul embassy. But India’s regional connectivity ambitions have been dampened under Taliban rule.

India-Taliban Engagement

India has proceeded cautiously in engaging the Taliban regime:

  • After evacuating diplomats in 2021, India deployed a technical team to its Kabul embassy to coordinate aid disbursement. This signals India’s recognition of political realities while stopping short of formal ties.
  • The Taliban actively courted improved ties with India, eyeing potential economic assistance and influence over Pakistan. India used meetings to press for an inclusive government and assurances against terrorism.
  • In June 2022, India sent a high-level delegation to Kabul for talks with the Taliban foreign minister. This marked India’s first official engagement and a shift toward pragmatic ties.

Impact of Afghanistan’s Stability on India

The stability of Afghanistan and the inclusiveness of its government have major implications for India:

  • India remains deeply concerned about terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan. Anti-India terror groups like LeT and JeM continue to operate, and the killing of al-Zawahiri in Kabul reinforced these worries.
  • Pakistan’s influence over Afghanistan also remains a top concern for India, as Islamabad could use its leverage against India regarding Kashmir.
  • For its regional connectivity ambitions, India has a strong interest in a stable Afghanistan that can serve as a trade and transit hub connecting South and Central Asia.

India’s Soft Power and Development Assistance

India has utilized soft power and aid to secure influence and generate goodwill among Afghans:

  • Over 20 years, India has provided $3 billion in assistance focused on infrastructure, capacity building in healthcare and education, agriculture, and more.
  • This aid has built popular support and India remains committed to further assistance. But India struggles with delivery mechanisms under Taliban rule.
  • India announced $25 million in development aid for 2023-2024 and continues to provide humanitarian aid like wheat shipments with monitoring from its technical team.
India afghanistan
India afghanistan

Geopolitical Implications & Afghanistan

Broader geopolitical dynamics shape India’s approach as major powers jockey for influence over Afghanistan:

  • Pakistan, China and Russia all seek stronger ties with the Taliban regime to boost their regional clout and counterbalance India.
  • India engages Afghanistan through regional forums like the India-Central Asia Summit, Troika Plus meetings, and explores alignment with the U.S. and Iran.
  • But tensions between Iran and Pakistan could provide opportunities for India regarding transit routes like Chabahar port and the INSTC project.

Future of India-Afghanistan Relations

The future trajectory of India’s relations with Afghanistan remains uncertain:

  • Realpolitik suggests India will continue pragmatic engagement with the Taliban to secure influence and counter Pakistan.
  • But without minimum reforms and assurances against terrorism, formal recognition of the regime by India remains unlikely.
  • India is focused on boosting people-to-people ties through renewed visas for students and supporting cultural exchanges to maintain goodwill.
  • Ensuring a stable Afghanistan and checking Pakistan’s influence will remain central to India’s strategic interests in the region.

So in summary, India is cautiously expanding practical engagement with the Taliban regime based on strategic interests related to regional connectivity, terrorism, geopolitical dynamics, and maintaining influence with the Afghan people. But formal recognition or embraces of the regime remain doubtful without minimum reforms. India continues to see a stable and inclusive Afghan government as vital for its regional ambitions.

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UCN Team
UCN Team

UCN Team: Combining expertise in UPSC Exams and Tech to deliver high-resolution, insightful content for aspiring civil servants

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