Finally, China's apparent willingness to work with the Taliban could significantly add to the woes of Indian security planners, Sumit Ganguly concluded.
Who "Lost" Afghanistan, America or India?
This was the title of Taj Hashmi's article published by The Counter Current. Hashmi, a retired Professor of Security Studies at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, says that India has been the biggest loser in Afghanistan, and Iran.
India went on investing billions of dollars in the two countries to build a deep-sea port at Chabahar and industries around the port in Iran. It also promised investing billions in mining, railway, and highway projects in Afghanistan. All of these investments and the promises of further investments) have virtually gone down the drains, because the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, both for geo-political and ideological reasons will have to be friendly towards both Pakistan and China, which are anything but India-friendly.
India, most imprudently, ignored both geography and global politics. It failed to realise that Chabahar would be no match for Gwadar. The latter's size, location, and sponsors (China and Pakistan) outmatch the former. India simply failed to realise that the Chabahar port project with geographical proximity to only Turkmenistan, but without connectivity to Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan , wouldn't be a viable one. And, last but not least, even if Afghanistan had remained under the tutelage of America, the latter wouldn't have favoured its vassal Afghanistan (and the Central Asian republics) to use an Iranian sea port.
Modi government fails to take stand on Taliban
Tellingly, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is silent on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Prominent TV anchor, Ravish Kumar, in his program on Tuesday asked on Prime Time how PM Modi views the Taliban. He asked: Does the centre identify the Taliban as a terrorist group or intend to have cordial relationships with Afghanistan under Taliban rule?
In New Delhi, All India Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters on Monday that the situation in Afghanistan is extremely alarming and India's strategic interests are at stake. He said the "stunning silence" of Narendra Modi government is "deeply disturbing and highly intriguing, which is beyond any reasonable understanding."
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
