Both India and the US have indicated that they will wait to see how the situation unfolds in the war-torn country amid assurances from the Taliban that they will not allow Afghanistan to become a breeding ground for terror.
“We have a wait and see policy. It doesn’t mean you don’t do anything, it means the situation is very fluid on the ground, you have to see how it develops. You have to see that What is assured or not. The public is actually maintained on the ground,” Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said during his recent US visit.
Former diplomats think this is the right path.
‘A knee-jerk reaction should be avoided’
Anil Wadhwa, who served as Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs before retiring in 2017, said India should refrain from reacting to developments in Afghanistan and follow a wait and watch policy.
He said, “India should avoid a reckless reaction as it remains to be seen what kind of government the Taliban forms, whether it is an inclusive government or not. No knee-jerk reaction (India needs to), that’s all. Wait and see how the situation emerges,” Wadhwa told PTI.
Pakistan ISI chief’s visit AcceptHe said that the ISI’s influence on the Taliban, especially the Haqqani, is well known and therefore they would like to have that influence in the new government.
“The situation (in Afghanistan) is fluctuating and we must wait for developments. The fact that the Pakistanis have a fixed position in Afghanistan today is undeniable,” Raghavan said.
Asked whether India should state its expectations of the government in Afghanistan and set its pre-conditions for recognition of the regime there, he said, “I don’t think we are at a stage where we are at our make objectives a precondition.”
‘Not surprised by what Pakistan is doing’
G Parthasarathy, who was India’s envoy to many countries including Pakistan, said that India should not rush into anything and should avoid any reaction to the developments in Afghanistan.
“Having dealt with Pakistan and lived there for seven years, I would have been surprised if Pakistanis didn’t do what they were doing. It is only a section of Indians who joke about Pakistan,” he said. He said with reference to PTI. ISI chief’s visit
Cautioning against the Sino-Pakistan alliance, Parthasarathy said, “Unless we underestimate the dangers posed by the China-Pakistan alliance, we will be wrong. Pakistan is not a threat in itself, it becomes problematic.” when it works in alliance with China.”
On what should be India’s approach, the former diplomat told PTI that India should not rush into anything, take time and see in which direction things are moving as the internal politics of Afghanistan will shape the developments.
‘India must take a public position’
KC Singh, who has served as India’s envoy to the United Arab Emirates and Iran, said the delay in the formation of the Taliban government had led to conflict between more liberal elements led by Mullah Baradar and the Haqqani fronting for Pakistan and its military. is indicated.
He told PTI, “Most countries are waiting and watching, but are also putting pressure on the Taliban. India should take a public stand on what kind of inclusive government it expects when unless it recognizes the Taliban government.”
Pak-China Power Play
With the Taliban firmly in the saddle and set to announce a new Afghan government next week, both China and Pakistan have moved in a political stance to gain influence in the country.
Pakistan ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed arrived in Kabul on Saturday on an announced visit to oversee government formation efforts. The ISI is known for promoting the Taliban.
Hameed’s visit to Kabul came after Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa met British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab earlier in the day and said Pakistan would assist in the formation of an inclusive administration in Afghanistan.
The visit was heavily criticized by former Afghanistan Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who said the Taliban were being finely managed by Pakistan’s ISI.
In an article on the Daily Mail, Saleh, who has declared himself the acting president of Afghanistan and is now leading resistance front against the Taliban in the Panjshir Valley, said Islamabad as a colonial power was effectively in charge of the war-torn country.
Meanwhile, China has positioned itself as the Taliban’s most important ally as it seeks to expand its multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road projects in Afghanistan and exploit its rich mineral deposits.
In a show of camaraderie, China has offered to provide financial assistance to the Taliban, while the latter has said it supports Beijing’s BRI projects in Afghanistan.
(with inputs from PTI)
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