ISLAMABAD – Russia has moved to improve ties with Pakistan and is morethan keen to play an important role in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, asevident from Moscow’s own peace talks with the Taliban last year, thepossible emergence of a strategic China-Russia-Pakistan axis along theTaliban has unnerved India.
At a time when US president Donald Trump is holding peace talks with theTaliban and has decided to withdraw 7,000 troops in the next few months, 40CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terrorist attackscarried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Pulwama.
While Indian security forces have killed the three main men behind thePulwama attack and the Indian government is weighing all possible optionsto dismantle terror outfits operating against India from across the border,this attack has once again reinforced the fact that the language of peacecannot be an effective tool to deal with terrorists.
In fact, ever since the Trump administration started peace talks with theTaliban, there were apprehensions in India, the US and elsewhere that suchefforts would only embolden the Taliban.
Sure, it was during the Obama administration that the US decided to holdtalks with the Taliban and during the 2016 presidential election campaign,Trump too promised to end the war in Afghanistan.
Interestingly, the Trump Administration’s South Asia Policy released in2017 underscored the need for US troops to stay on in Afghanistan. In fact,on the issue of promoting peace, security, stability and development inAfghanistan, Trump’s South Asia Policy mentioned that the US will deploymore troops in Afghanistan without fixing a timeline for the return of USforces.
However, over a year later in July 2018, President Trump shifted hisposition on Afghanistan issue with the intention of clinching a deal withthe Taliban. It would give the US a morally legitimate reason to withdrawits troops.
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At the same time, Russia and China’s efforts to hold talks with the Talibanwas seen by the US as a major geo-strategic threat to its interests in theregion.
While the possible re-emergence of the Taliban is being seen as the onsetof another phase of darkness for that blighted country, for India, whichhas always supported the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled,”process with participation of the elected government in Kabul, peace talksbetween the US and the Taliban and Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops,now pose serious security challenges.
Ever since reconstruction work began in Afghanistan, India has investedover $3 billion building roads, hospitals, schools, providing training,arms and fighter aircraft to the Afghan armed forces.
Taliban’s arrival on the centre stage will not only put India’s economicinterests at stake in Afghanistan, it will also pose a huge security threatto India because Pakistan’s prominence in Afghanistan will increase andIslamabad could use the Taliban against Indians there.
Since Russia has also moved to improve ties with Pakistan and is more thankeen to play an important role in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, asevident from Moscow’s own peace talks with the Taliban last year, thepossible emergence of a strategic China-Russia-Pakistan axis along theTaliban, could jeopardise India’s position.
