India-Afghanistan Relation

Context:

Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has stated that the Taliban administration is ready for dialogue with Pakistan to resolve ongoing border clashes, but has also warned that “other means” remain open if diplomacy fails.

UPSC Relevance:

India and its neighborhood- relations.

UPSC PYQ:

Q. The proposed withdrawal of the 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. (2013)

India and Afghanistan:

The foundation of Indian interests in Afghanistan:

• Prevent the spread of terrorist activities.
• Using Afghanistan as a tool for access to Central Asia.
• Limit the role of Pakistan as a rival in South Asian relations, Central Asia and Afghanistan.
• Expand the strategic depth in the area.
• Strengthen the south Asian security system by entering Afghanistan to this area
• Peace in Afghanistan is crucial to prevent terrorism and instability spilling into the region.
• Afghanistan’s rich minerals and energy reserves offer opportunities for India’s investment and cooperation.
• Afghanistan serves as India’s gateway to Central Asia for trade and energy connectivity. 

History:

Afghanistan was recognized as a center of Indian civilization. Additionally, Buddha had also come to Afghanistan; this was a busy area of Hinduism and Buddhism.

Indian Strategy of Soft Power in Afghanistan:

India wanted to fill the power vacuum in Afghanistan after US withdraw. Therefore, India increased its relationship with Afghanistan by investing in different projects.

• India is the largest humanitarian support provider in Afghanistan.
• India allocated 2 billion dollars for different projects in Afghanistan.
• India provide training to Afghan police, diplomats and civil servants of Afghanistan.

India reconstruction efforts:

• In the year of 2009 the Indian Army made a key road in the country side of Afghanistan in the Nimroz region. This links Delaram to Zaranj.

• India did make a Dam, which is called Salma power project. Moreover, India has invested over 100 million dollars to Link Afghanistan with Iran through Chabahar port for trade.
• Parliament Building: Built by India at $90 million. It was opened in 2015; Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the building. A block in the building is named after former PM AB Vajpayee.
• Rebuilding of power infrastructure such as the 220kV DC transmission line from Pul-e-Khumri, capital of Baghlan province to the north of Kabul, to beef up electricity supply to the capital.
• India has reconstructed a children’s hospital it had helped build in Kabul in 1972 —named Indira Gandhi Institute for Child Health in 1985 — that was in a shambles after the war.
• India gifted 400 buses and 200 mini-buses for urban transportation, 105 utility vehicles for municipalities, 285 military vehicles for the Afghan National Army, 10 ambulances for public hospitals in five cities. 

Defence:

• In 2016 India delivered three Russia-made Mi-25 attack helicopters.

People to People ties:

• For capacity building in Afghanistan, India has been offering 1000 scholarships to Afghan Nationals to study UG, PG level courses in Indian Universities.
• As of 2023, there were around 14,000 Afghan students studying in India with scholarship support from different.

Disaster assistance and emergency relief:

In 2022, India has sent 27 tonnes of emergency relief assistance for the people of Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people.

Development aid:

The Centre in its budget for 2023-24, has set aside Rs 200 crore as assistance.

Line of credit: 

• In order to expand entrepreneurship and business-to-business cooperation, especially between small and medium enterprises of India and Afghanistan, India has offered Afghanistan a 50 million US dollars line of credit facility…
• The people of Afghanistan are also thrilled with the sporting ties and BCCI helping the Afghanistan cricket team. India is to increase the number of scholarships and visas for students, for healthcare and for business.

Challenges:

• Taliban being a violent and brutal actor has done little to reform itself especially in its treatment towards women and girls.
• Groups like ISKP, Al-Qaeda, LeT, and JeM operate from Afghan soil, increasing radicalism in the region.
• In 2021, nearly 80% of global opium came from Afghanistan — India fears this money could fund terrorism.
• China’s increasing engagement with the Taliban regime has raised Indian concerns over Beijing’s expanding strategic and economic footprint in Afghanistan.

Recent changes:

• Both sides emphasized respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. External Affairs Minister appreciated Afghan side’s understanding of India’s security concerns. The Afghan Foreign Minister reiterated the commitment that the Afghan government will not allow any group or individual to use the territory of Afghanistan against India.
•  As a special gesture, India will gift twenty ambulances to the Afghan people. A symbolic handover of the ambulances was done by the External Affairs Minister following his meeting with the Foreign Minister.
•  India expressed its willingness to assist the Afghan government in reconstructing residential buildings in the earthquake affected areas.
•  The Afghan side invited Indian companies to invest in the mining sector which would help strengthen the bilateral trade and commercial relations.

Source: India – Afghanistan Joint Statement 

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