India has urged countries of the Central Asian regions to use the port of Chabahar located on the southeast coast of Iran to enhance connectivity and trade with India and other countries in the world. Participating in the 6th Regional Dialogue of Secretaries of Security Councils/National Security Advisers on Afghanistan in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, India’s Deputy National Security Adviser Vikram Misri called for an “inclusive and representative” government in Afghanistan and said the approach towards the Taliban-ruled country should be based on consensus.
During his interaction with delegates from Iran, Russia, Kyrgyzsthan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, Mr. Misri invited “Central Asian neighbours to utilise the Chabahar port as well as the Shaheed Behesti terminal at the port for maritime trade with India and other countries of the world,” said a source privy to the discussion that focused on terrorism, drug trafficking apart from connectivity in the region. India has not recognised the Taliban outfit which came to power in August 2021 after the end of the U.S. occupation. Last November, the old embassy of Afghanistan that was being run by diplomats aligned with the old regime of President Ashraf Ghani shut down and the facilities have been taken over in Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad by diplomats who did not leave India.
The discussion at Bishkek came days after barely a fortnight after the head of the Indian ‘technical team’ at Kabul participated in a discussion in Kabul with the stakeholders in Afghanistan that was chaired by the Taliban ‘foreign minister’ Amir Khan Muttaqi. India’s participation at the regional discussion in Kabul had raised eyebrows though officials here had underplayed that move. On Thursday, India highlighted ‘legitimate economic and security interests in Afghanistan’ and arguing that New Delhi ‘has been consistent and steadfast with its policy in support of peace, security and stability in Afghanistan.’
Immediate priorities
“Our common immediate priorities include providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring formation of a truly inclusive and representative government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women, children and the minorities,” the Indian side stated in Bishkek. Mr. Misri presented that India has about 500 projects in Afghanistan ‘spread across each of the 34 provinces in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building.’
India’s relations with Afghanistan have also been indirectly influenced by the nosedive in its relations with Pakistan, which has witnessed a similarly tough phase in its ties with Afghanistan as well as Iran. Last month, Iran launched ballistic missiles that hit targets in the Balochistan region that Iran described as terrorist bases. Subsequently, Pakistan also hit targets in Iran’s Baloch region that Tehran described were ‘non-Iranian’ targets. Former Pakistani ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has in a recent London-based Chatham House discussion said that incident damaged Iran-Pakistan relations. She also pointed out that Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan have also been negative as the Taliban have provided space to the Tehreek-e- Taliban Pakistan. The common Kabul and Tehran’s negative relations with Islamabad are being interpreted by some quarters as a positive sign for India’s strategic calculations in the Af-Pak region. It is in this context that Mr. Misri’s mention of ‘legitimate economic and security interests’ acquire greater significance as they seem to indicate at India’s broadening ties with Kabul despite the Taliban’s dark human rights records.
Mr. Misri, however, mentioned that India has given scholarship to around 600 Afghan girls to study in India under the ICCR programme. “It is equally important to create economic opportunities, empower the people to be self-reliant and self-sufficient, and re-build the economy. Towards this end, India has continued its trade relations with Afghanistan,” the Indian side said highlighting commercial ties with Afghanistan. He further reminded that Afghan territory should not be used for “sheltering, training, planning, or financing terrorist acts,” especially the Pakistan-based terror entities like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
