Taliban representatives are in Delhi, Taliban representatives have arrived in Delhi and are also present in the Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad. This was an inevitable fact, no matter how difficult it was for India to settle matters on an equal footing with the Taliban. However, India is the last country in the entire region to establish ties with the Taliban. And why not? Who can forget the horrific hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 by the Taliban? Or the numerous attacks in which Indian citizens and workers were targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan? The same Taliban, which sheltered Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda terrorists and helped the emergence of even more dangerous groups like ISIS?

Global Affairs

In a strange twist and due to circumstances beyond India’s control, the Taliban are back in power once again. The Taliban, who were embroiled in a war for twenty years by the world’s sole superpower, the United States. But in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies – only national interests. That is why it has become a necessity for India to build relations with the Taliban today. After the fall of the Taliban regime in 2002, the US and the international community spent billions of dollars on reconstruction, strengthening the government structure, and development in Afghanistan. The new governments included the Pashtun majority population as well as Tajiks and other minorities. But despite all this, it was not possible to defeat the Taliban. With the great help of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, the Taliban continued their insurgency in Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of hundreds of foreign and Afghan civilians and military personnel. India was not immune from this, even though it had invested over two billion dollars in Afghanistan. Several Taliban-linked attacks were carried out on Indian interests and personnel.

The Rise of ISIS and the Taliban’s Response

On the other hand, the US invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime created another major threat – ISIS. ISIS proved to be even more dangerous than the Taliban because it not only claimed Afghan territory, but also declared the establishment of a global caliphate. ISIS recruited young people from all over the world, including more than 5,000 Russian-speaking fighters. In view of this threat, Russia intervened militarily in Syria to provide protection to the government of Bashar al-Assad. There was also tension between the Taliban and ISIS in Afghanistan. The Taliban tried to stop the growing influence of ISIS in Afghanistan, while the US-backed Afghan government proved weak and unstable. The Taliban gained control of the border areas of Afghanistan and also established business relations with the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, so that the economy could continue.

Proximity of regional countries to the Taliban and isolation of India

Russia, China, Iran, and Central Asian countries established contacts with the Taliban to keep the situation in Afghanistan under control. Only Tajikistan maintained its distance from the Taliban. An incident on March 4 further highlighted this threat – that day, Russian security forces in Moscow killed a terrorist from ISIS Khorasan Province (ISKP), who was planning to attack the Moscow subway and a place of worship. The US’s 2020 Doha agreement also proved that the Taliban was being accepted internationally, while India was left alone. India built dams, parliaments, and historical monuments in Afghanistan, but everything had to stop after the Taliban took over. In August 2021, the Taliban took control of Kabul. The Taliban then assured the international community that they would maintain good neighborly relations and would not allow Afghan soil to be used for terrorist attacks. Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan removed the Taliban from their terrorist lists and allowed them to take over diplomatic missions. China went further, appointing its ambassador to Kabul and investing in Afghanistan’s valuable mineral resources. The best course of action for India was to follow in the footsteps of other countries, especially those that are its close allies such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.

India’s re-engagement with the Taliban

ISIS-K’s continued operations, such as the Moscow attack plot, require India to establish cautious but pragmatic relations with the Taliban. India first met Taliban representatives in Moscow and then established contacts with Taliban officials in Uzbekistan and Qatar. India continued to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan even after the Taliban came to power. In 2022, India reopened its embassy in Kabul and deployed a “technical team” there.

Tensions between Taliban and Pakistan – An Opportunity for India

The recent tensions between Taliban and Pakistan are also evidence that the Taliban are no longer under the complete control of Pakistan and are adopting their own independent policy, which is a positive development for India. The meeting of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Masri with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai can be considered a turning point in India-Afghanistan relations. However, given the political instability in Afghanistan and the increasing activities of ISIS-K, India is taking a very thoughtful and cautious approach.

Will settle matters with the Taliban

Aditi Bhaduri is a freelance journalist and writes on Middle East and Central Asian affairs.