Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



India reshapes policy to retain Afghan influence
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 05 - 02 - 2010

An initiative by Western powers seeking peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan is forcing India to modify its policy toward the extremists to avoid being marginalized in a country Delhi sees as key to Indian security.
Indian officials fear an Afghan plan endorsed by global powers to win over Taliban foot soldiers will give rival Pakistan a greater say in the peace process and may ultimately lead to a Taliban takeover once Western forces leave Afghanistan.
The six-decade India and Pakistan rivalry since their independence from Britain in 1947 has turned Afghanistan into a proxy battleground, whose control both countries see as vital to their interests. Their rivalry complicates Western efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai's call on Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to help reach out to the Taliban is threatening to undo eight years of financial and diplomatic investment that gave New Delhi great influence over Kabul. “Delhi's failure to respond to the changing situation in Afghanistan might cause huge setbacks for India,” C. Raja Mohan, a foreign policy expert at the US Library of Congress, wrote in the Indian Express newspaper last Monday.
“India had a great run in Afghanistan in Phase One (since 2001 until recently). However, the stasis that had gripped India's security policy in recent months and some fine maneuvering by the Pakistani army threaten to marginalize Delhi in Phase Two.”
The urgency to acquire a role in Afghanistan, even if limited, may have already prompted India to soften its stand on the Taliban so as not to be seen as blocking the peace process. Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna said at the weekend New Delhi was willing to back efforts to seek peace with the Taliban to stabilize neighboring Afghanistan. “We are willing to give it a try,” Krishna said, provided the Taliban accepted the Afghan constitution and severed connections with Al-Qaeda and other militant groups. India seeks to retain influence in Afghanistan to deter any anti-India militant training camps there which it accuses rival Pakistan of backing - and to more generally try to counter a militant surge threatening regional security.
The Karzai administration, for its part, has deep suspicions about Pakistan, which considers Afghanistan as a strategic fallback position in the event of another war with India, and because of Islamabad's ties to the Taliban.
“If the outcome of the London meeting is to be assessed, the world is trying to cut a deal with the Taliban and India has to accept that,” said Uday Bhaskar, head of New Delhi-based strategic affairs think tank National Maritime Foundation.
“India has to shape its policy in the light of this reality. Otherwise it runs the danger of being on a standalone mode.”
But India's traditional ties with Afghanistan and its popularity with Afghans from Bollywood films to aid projects - it is spending $1.2 billion to build roads and power lines in Afghanistan - puts New Delhi on firm ground in the war-torn country. It is this aspect of their relationship that India could be strengthening in the coming years as a counterpoint to any Pakistan-backed move to marginalize New Delhi.
“India's presence in Afghanistan is tremendous and it is that goodwill that clearly gives India its strength,” said Savita Pande, professor of South Asian studies at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Last week, India announced hundreds of fellowships to support Afghan students pursuing higher education in the field of agriculture, a sector seen as crucial for improving Afghan lives. “India has always been Afghanistan's development partner and this is a strong aspect of the relationship that will be developed further,” said an Indian government official.
Moreover, a quick breakthrough with the Taliban is no certainty, given that the militants may be in no mood to compromise at a time when they are tightening their hold over much of Afghanistan. “So we have to see how realistic this peace offer is,” said a Western diplomat, who asked not to be named.
“The other aspect is whether Pakistan still retains the same influence over all sections of Pushtuns, because their leverage has largely been over the hard-line faction, which in any case is unlikely to be part of the peace process.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.