WASHINGTON – India felt ditched by announcement of US troops withdrawalfrom Afghanistan and has hinted at relations with Afghan Taliban.
President Donald Trump’s plan to reduce troops in Afghanistan has set offalarm bells in India with experts suggesting New Delhi change its hostileattitude towards Taliban who in the new situation could gain significantinfluence in the war-ravaged country.
In comments published in various Indian and US media outlets, Indianscholars and think-tank experts noted that Washington appears to bepreparing for a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, which will give anadvantage to both the Taliban and Pakistan.
“This is bad news for New Delhi, which must prepare for the fallout,”Avinash Mohananey, a former Indian intelligence official who has served inPakistan, wrote in the *Economic Times*.
Mr Mohananey urged India to first ask Washington not to withdrawprecipitately and then to reach out to Taliban because their anticipatedrise could “sound the death knell for the government of Ashraf Ghani andalso for Indian influence there”, he warned.ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD
The main Indian objective — according to him — should be to ensure thatAfghanistan “remains friendly towards it, not a haven for hostile elements”.
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The Trump administration announced last week that the US will pull outnearly half of its more than 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, triggeringspeculations across about how this withdrawal would impact Afghanistan andits neighbouring states, particularly Pakistan.
Islamabad also views this development as hugely significant and last weekit sent its foreign minister to Afghanistan, China, Russia and Iran todiscuss with them various options for a peaceful transition in Kabul.Pakistan is already working with the United States to persuade the Talibanto join the Afghan peace process. Islamabad also attended last month’stalks between the US and Taliban representatives in the UAE, which led toWashington announcing its intention to reduce its military presence inAfghanistan.
Indian scholars argue that this development could change the securityscenario in South Asia as well, “requiring reorientation of (India’s)strategic policy” in dealing with both the Taliban and Pakistan.
