India needs to be quite clear about how it wants to determine Afghanistan's future under the Taliban

Undefined role

Source: The Economic Times

Context:

Third Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan, chaired by NSA Ajit Doval recently was composed of National Security Advisors’ (NSA) of regional countries.

About the Meet:

• New Delhi has sent out three strong messages
• It wishes to remain an important and engaged player in the future of Afghanistan
• With the exit of U.S.NATO troops, the ideal solution to the situation is through consensus in Afghanistan’s extended neighbourhood including Russia.
• Afghan humanitarian crisis should be the region’s immediate priority and political differences can be set aside  to help. 
• A Progressive approach taken by New Delhi: We invite the  China and Pakistan, despite the LAC standoff and deep differences . By declining  the invitation, Beijing and Islamabad have made it clear that they do not intend to assist India in its Afghan engagement. Further demonstrated by the Khan government’s churlishness in refusing India road access to send wheat and medicines to Kabul. 
• The Delhi Declaration issued by the eight participating nations, including Iran and Russia, is a milestone in keeping India inside the discussion on Afghanistan. This is a  creditable feat.

Attitude of the other partners:

• Turkmenistan sent a Ministerial delegation to discuss connectivity with the Taliban.
• Uzbekistan accorded the visiting Taliban Deputy PM full protocol and discussed trade, transit and the construction of a railway line. 
• Russia and Iran still maintain their embassies in Kabul, and a “Troika­plus” 
• U.S. - China - Russia­-Pakistan engagement is taking place with the Taliban Foreign Minister, in Islamabad this week. With the “normalisation” of ties with the Taliban regime growing.

Way Forward:

India must clear its stand: India has publicly held talks with Taliban officials twice and expressed solidarity with Afghans  but on the other has refused practically all visa seekers, made no monetary contribution to the humanitarian crisis there, and has made no bid to continue with plans for trade and connectivity with Afghanistan. 

India’s desire to lead the discussion on Afghanistan’s destiny, as demonstrated by the NSA dialogue, is a worthy goal for a regional leader, but can only be fulfilled once the Government defines more clearly what it wants its Afghan role to be, despite all its differences with the regime now in power.

It also expands on the need for an inclusive government in Kabul that will replace the Interim Taliban regime, and promotes a national reconciliation process.