In a recent agreement between India and Afghanistan where India has agreed to train Afghan security forces, this move has added one more significant dimension to Indo-Afghan relations. During the past decade, India has taken multiple initiatives to strengthen its relation with Afghanistan.
It all started with toppling of Taliban regime in 2001 by the US-led international coalition forces, when India moved swiftly to make its presence felt in Afghanistan. Taliban which were reportedly harboring the alleged 9/11 perpetrators and Al- Qaeda chief Osama bin-Laden, had to pay the heaviest price by being overthrown by the coalition forces.
Prior to 9/11 events, Taliban did not have a warm relation with India when in power as they were allegedly backed by Pakistan, the arch-enemy of India. With the capture of Kabul in 1996 by Taliban, the Indian government led by prime minster H.D Deve Gowda did not officially recognize the regime of Taliban. In fact India, along with Iran and Russia were strong supporters of Northern Alliance, a multi-ethnic anti-Taliban force based in north of Afghanistan. The Indian Embassy in Kabul hardly functioned during the reign of Taliban 1996 - 2001.
Events changed dramatically in favor of India in post-Taliban as the members of Northern Alliance, the old-time ally of India, got the lion's share of power in Kabul in Bonn Conference on future of Afghanistan held in Germany in 2001. Pakistan, India's arch-rival stood as a weak and helpless bystander of events by having a limited say with ouster of its ally, Taliban. Delhi government led by BJP was in full swing to take maximum political mileage by announcing generous financial and technical aid to the Afghan government.
Shift in India's strategy
With new and somewhat pro-India dispensation in Kabul, India shifted its strategy towards Afghanistan. The help that it was giving to anti-Taliban forces in the form arms and military equipments were channeled to the central government led by Hamid Karzai, in the shape of technical support and capacity building of human resources, with main focus on overall development and infrastructure of the country. The earlier donation of airplanes by India to the crippled Afghan Aviation sector and the announcement of scholarships for Afghan students were the most noted ones.
Gradually, India concentrated more on infrastructure and monetary help to the country. The roads between Kandahar province and Spin Boldak district and Zaranj - Delaram highway were built by India. According to The Hindu, in undertaking of these projects, Indian engineers had to face constant threat from the insurgents groups with the loss of life of an Indian engineer in the process. The construction of new Afghan parliament in Kabul by India is in progress and the construction of a water dam in Herat province is near complete. The momentary help of India has been on the rise and to date it has pledged $ 1.3 billion for reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, The Hindu adds.
With increasing influence of India in Afghanistan in post-Talban, Pakistan has also been active in its development activity in Afghanistan. The move, however, has aroused suspicions among Afghan people and authorities. In April 2009, on the condition of anonymity, one former high-ranking Afghan official revealed to the Journal of International Affairs, an American journal that Afghanistan was wary of Pakistani aid due to past indiscretions and meddling with its affairs. In other words, Kabul turned a suspicious eye toward aid from Islamabad due to its past support for the Taliban. This is in part due to ongoing disputes over the Durand Line, which have never been resolved between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a debate that centers on the fate of the predominantly Pashtun tribes along the border. In the words of Barnett Rubin and Abubakar Siddique, "The long history of each state offering sanctuary to the other's opponents has built bitterness and mistrust between the two neighbors", the Journal quoted them as saying.
The future of the relation
According to Indian magazine, Tehelka, the Afghan-Indo relations is a win-win partnership as it is based on solid foundation and trust. The relation further got a shot in the arm with the signing of Strategic Agreement between the two countries in October 2011, and this means they have become strategic partners. India which is experiencing an impressive economic growth for the quite some time is eager to strengthen its economic ties with Afghanistan. The natural resources of Aghansitan are huge and untapped which makes it ideal arena of investment for Indian companies. On top of this, the location of the country could be the more important focus for India as it is a passageway to Central Asian countries. Through Afghanistan, India can reach the Central Asian markets for its goods and products and at the same time access the enormous energy of the region for its energy-hungry industries, the magazine argues.
Pakistan, on the other hand, is worried about the growing influence of India in Afghanistan. Its main contention is using of the country by India for anti-Pakistan activities. The unrest in Baluchistan which is blamed on India and the growing numbers of Indian consulates in several parts of Afghanistan are cited as proof by Pakistan. The Express Tribune, a Pakistani daily, in October 2011, quoted Inspector General Frontier Corps of Baluchistan Major General Obaidullah Khattak, that India was using Afghan territory to carry out terrorist attacks in Baluchistan. "There is evidence that Afghanistan is being used against Pakistan," the paper quoted Khattak.
The daily also quoted Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf that India sought to create an anti-Pakistan Afghanistan as part of a bid to dominate South Asia politically and economically.
India which faces hostile Taliban targeting its interests in Afghanistan has also blamed Pakistan for carrying out anti-India activities by using its proxies there. The bombing of Indian Embassy in July 2008 was blamed on Pakistan's intelligence Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI). Pakistan, however, denied that it had any role in it.
The blame game between Pakistan and India will certainly go on. Whether it is mere rhetoric used by both or they have solid evidence to prove their accusations is yet to be seen. But one thing is for sure, India is in Afghanistan to stay.
Afghans' concern
The Afghans are watching both India and Pakistan. They welcome the contribution of both for the reconstruction and development of their county. But they don't like is that their country to become the battlefield for India and Pakistan to settle scores. And this has been the official stance of the Afghan government.
