How India exploited Afghanistan against Pakistan

The exploitation must end

India and Pakistan are the two rival nuclear States of South Asia. Right from their inceptions, they did not have friendly bilateral relations. They fought three major wars and had been in military standoffs a few times. India has always tried to destabilize Pakistan economically, politically and militarily to become the regional power of south Asia. For this purpose India found another country, Afghanistan, which bears ill will towards Pakistan due to some of its issues, like the Durand Line, and others, with Pakistan. Afghanistan is a landlocked country of south Asia and always had a significant place in global politics due to its strategic and economic importance as it has been considered a bridge to the oil and gas trade route and a gateway to the central Asian market.

On the other hand, India and Afghanistan had friendly relations throughout history. India was the only South Asian country to recognize the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The relation received a massive blow when the Afghan civil war started after the Soviet departure from Afghanistan in 1989 onwards. The Taliban government did not maintain strong relations with India, as during the Taliban regime the Hindus were being watched keenly in Afghanistan. India was involved in building the infrastructure in Afghanistan since 1980. When Taliban took control, this aid was halted. When the Taliban were ruling, they seemed the perfect partners for Pakistan both politically and militarily. That Pro-Pakistani attitude of the Afghan Taliban was pinching India.

Now when the US and allied forces invaded Afghanistan and removed the Taliban regime, after the 9/11 attacks, a global war on terror was declared by the USA. This major strategic shift set a perfect ground for India to become the strong ally of Afghanistan as the Taliban were thrown away. The Afghan elite leadership believed that Pakistan brought the Taliban into power and then toppled them down again by collaborating with the USA. After the Taliban’s dismissal, Hamid Karzai became President of Afghanistan, who hated Pakistan because he was of the view that Pakistani spy agency ISI had killed his father in 1999. He also had some emotional bond with India as he received his masters education form India. When Karzai was interviewed at some point, he considered India as the perfect partner for Afghanistan. He called India a democratic, stable, economically rich country and the best friend of Afghanistan. This was a perfect platform for India to invest in Afghanistan and achieve its strategic and economic goals.

Pakistan needs to regain the trust of Afghans by cooperating with the Afghan government politically and economically. Pakistan should also make strong military relations with Afghanistan in order to oust the threatening Indian influence from Afghanistan. Pakistan should strengthen its bilateral relations with Afghanistan as Pakistan cannot afford to have same enemy at multiple front

During Karzai’s government India reopened its embassy and four consulates in Afghanistan to increase its influence there. India provided some &1.5 billion aid for the rebuilding of Afghanistan in the post-Taliban era and promised to invest about $500 million in the near future.  India gained the trust of Afghans because of all its efforts to rebuild Afghanistan and succeeded in increasing its influence in Afghanistan and minimizing Pakistan’s influence there. During this time India constructed a negative image of Pakistan. Apart from this, Afghanistan’s elites always blamed Pakistan for the destruction of the country and for providing support and safe haven to the Afghan Taliban. Afghanistan also rejects the Durand Line; and claims that the Pashtoon-dominated areas of Pakistan belong to Afghanistan. These misperceptions brought Afghanistan to build stronger ties with India.

India has its own strategic and economic interests in Afghanistan for which they are investing ample resources. Their strategic interests include, to conduct covert operations against Pakistan  using Afghan soil, to keep eye on Jihadist Islamic Groups; who are fighting in Indian-occupied Kashmir, to minimize Pakistan’s and the Taliban’s influence in Afghanistan, and to support separatist and militant groups like BLA in Pakistan, The economic interests include getting access to central Asia for trade.

India projected its image as a true helper, but as realists say there is no permanent friend and no permanent enemy in international relations, what matters are the states’ interests. India, too, was makng all efforts to achieve its own aims. India also exploited the Afghan refugees in Pakistan with the help of NDS, by using them in funding militant organizations and carrying out terrorist attacks in Pakistan. That’s how India took the advantage of the lack of cultural, social and political connection between Pakistan and Afghanistan and exploited Afghans.

Pakistan needs to tackle this issue wisely. Pakistan is also playing a vital role in peace talks between Taliban and the USA. It needs to regain the trust of Afghans by cooperating with the Afghan government politically and economically. Pakistan should also make strong military relations with Afghanistan in order to oust the threatening Indian influence from Afghanistan. Pakistan should strengthen its bilateral relations with Afghanistan as Pakistan cannot afford to have same enemy at multiple fronts.

Naveed Khan
Naveed Khan
The writer is a freelance columnist

10 COMMENTS

  1. Quite a shallow piece. The reality is that Pakistan did this to themselves by siding with Bush’s war.

    If Pakistan did not succumb to cowardice then India wouldn’t have taken advantage of Pakistani cowardice. The reality is that Pakistan is doing everything to help India dominate the region as per US policy demands.

    Did India take advantage of the situation in Kashmir? no it’s because of the silence of Pakistan who have sold their morality for a few dollars.

    • Afghanistan is like a white woman who’ll get seduced by the brown Indian guy, get pregnant and then give birth to an anti Pakistan terrorist !
      We will keep an eye on it !

      • Afghanistan are our muslim brothers who also love Islam, the munafiqs from amongst us want us to hate each other.

  2. Indo-Afghan relations are age old and dated back even to advent of Islam. Hence, please don’t entangle India in Pakistan’s foolishness of Af-Pak region. This is also realized NOW by entire world, including onetime Pak B-Team i.e. Taliban. It is Pakistan’s constant interference in Afghanistan, which is not allowing stabilization of Pak-Afghan Relations. Afghanistan’s constant demand of area beyond Durand Line and upto the banks of river Sindh irks Pakistan. As per Anglo-Afghan Treaties dated way back WW-I, suggests that British only had administrative control of this area. This is the precise reason that British while leaving India, u/sec. 2(2)(c) of the Indian Independence Act, 1947 gave the right of ‘REFERENDUM’ (after 15.7.1947) for this Pushtoon (FATA/ PATA/ NWFP) area. Pakistan has never conducted such referendum?

    Afghanistan remains a buffer zone of Ango-Russian revelry. US-Pak-Taliban nexus from 1970s onward desired hegemony of allies in this buffer zone. This was against Anglo-Russo Treaty of 1907 resulting turmoil in Af-Pak region. The 9/11 exposed Pakistan’s double game resulting in US/Allies direct control and establishment of democratic government in Afghanistan. Over time the B-Team also understood the double game of Pakistan.
    The Af-Pak area will again be unstable with US-NATO withdrawal. Whatever, Paki jokers pretend; US withdrawal is not favourable for Pakistan (again a double game). Pakistan meanwhile is searching another Aka for this area in Russia/ China? Let us wait and watch.

    The time is fast approaching when Afghanistan may again be center of Turk-Tajik-Uzbek-Russian-Han-Taliban/ Pushtoon revelry. It appears that this time in absence of US-NATO allies on its side, the center of cold war in this area will be pushed on Pak’s northern frontiers or else up to middle-east. In either case it won’t be favorable for Pakistan and the heat of this revelry may reach up to India being erstwhile territory of British India.

    No one can deny the fact that Pakistan sided with US and pushed (and even now pushing) Afghanistan deep into terror and civil wars. The double-game of Pakistan again could not last long and will roast it further, financially, socially and territorially. Problem is that the entire world even Pushtoon, Taliban, Turks, Hans understand it, but it is Pakistan which even today is not realizing its faults. What a pathetic situation for Land of Pure. 🤔

    • Afghanistan itself is a fake state that exports poppy to the world and terror to the region and therefore it cannot decide which land belongs to whom ! People will decide and almost 50 thousand Afghans stand Infront of Pakistani embassy to get the visa. As for as India Afghanistan relations are concerned, Afghanistan like a 2 faced wh*** and we will keep an eye on it !

      • Your choice Bro, how and which side of the coin you view! Is is also your choice as to how much back you go in history to understand about the other lands and their relations. 😊 I commented on factual and historical propects as most of the writers in Pakistan unnecessarily drag India in Af-Pak Relations. 😁

    • There has never been an India prior to Islam, Both India and Pakistan are british inventions. The lands which you are calling “India” is modern day Pakistan ie the lands of the Indus River which have an old connection with central asian regions.

      Pakistans job is to obey US policy for the region so pakistanis will continue to obey them even after they have left which probably means more strife in that area so that they can take attention away from what India is doing in Kashmir.

      Pakistans job re India is to help strengthen them against China, all the while pretending to be enemies. If they wanted to they could easily stop your weak Indian forces carrying rusted russian weaponry but unfortunately we are ruled by munafiqs and cowardly secularists who have sold their souls for the US Dollar.

      • Mastansar Bhai, the issue is about the ethnicity and landmass. The issue here is not of Hindu, Sindhu, Indoi having faith in Islam or in any other way of worshipping the almighty? Islam or Hinduism Ka Kissa Pir Kabhi. 😁

        Dost, I request you not bring your “Pre/ Post Nabi Arabian Cultural Jahillya” represented either by the ‘Pact of Umar’ or various Caliphates’ Arabian Codes and their interpretations, mushrooming in Arabian desserts since centuries. This Jahillya started within 24 hours after Nabi and continuing till date. It has also retarded brains of many around River Sindhu and ruining the peace of world. It is the same Jahillya against which Nabi sermonically recited “Noor-e-illahi” throughout his life and preached about Universal Brotherhood (i.e. Vasudevya Kutumbakam). It is the same Jahillya which in last 73 years converted the Land of Pure Gulistan into a Jungle infested by Toothbrush heads. Islam Kahan Hai Is Jungle Main Mere Bhai? 😁😁

        What obeying US are you referring for Jahils? The Jahils since generations didn’t obey their deity and even after conversion forgot to obey Allah’s commands about ‘Noor-e-illahi’. Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiriyat is beyond the apprehension of those who burnt ‘Charar-e-sharif’. 😁😁😁

        Koi Fayda Nahin Dost Momin Ke Liye Jahalliyat Discuss Karne Ka? …… Jahil Saale Chit Pade Hain World Stage Par, Aur Aik Taang Utha Kar Shor Macha Rahe Hain ….. Abhi Nahin Hare, Abhi Nahin Hare. 😅

  3. Pakistan needs to teach Afghanistan a lesson ! These Afghans have an old habit of asking for security and money at the same time from powerful countries. They think they are special ! No, Afghanistan is a fake state which exports poppy to the world and terror to.the region ! It should be punished for all terrorist attacks in Pakistan !

    • yes this is what the munafiqs want, a muslim to fight a muslim whilst India is doing all sorts of evil in Kashmir. I know you will find the money and courage when it comes to attacking fellow muslims.

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