Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
India has, for all practical purposes, joined the small number of nations that have discovered the necessity of doing business with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Sans official recognition, which under the circumstances is only of ceremonial importance, New Delhi’s “pragmatic policy” is bound to be seen as a source of legitimacy for the Islamic Emirate. New Delhi, in return, hopes to regain its lost leverage in Kabul.
The evolution of New Delhi’s policy has been slow, incremental, and yet, unidirectional as India acclimatizes itself to the winds of change in Kabul. All along, it has carefully underscored the concern for the common Afghans and provided humanitarian assistance. At the core of its efforts, however, is the strategic objective of safeguarding its national security interests amid the geopolitical flux that has once again reduced Afghanistan to a territory whose potential instability evokes fear but little genuine concern, and even less affirmative action.
In June 2022, less than a year after the Taliban capture of power, New Delhi made a dramatic policy U-turn with the deployment of a technical team to Kabul to “oversee the disbursement of humanitarian aid.” The decision strategically reactivated the embassy, which had been shut after the Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021. Following that, Indian officials have made periodic visits to Kabul. New Delhi has also received Afghan officials for administrative, governance, and technical training modules.
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