Indias role in Afghanistan under Taliban regime remains unclear

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has accused the Taliban of serving as a “proxy” for India, amid escalating tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. The accusation comes after Pakistan bombed locations in Kabul on Friday.

Asif stated that following NATO forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in July 2021, it was expected that peace would prevail and the Taliban would focus on regional stability. However, he alleged that the Taliban turned Afghanistan into a “colony of India” and accused them of exporting terrorism.

Pakistan has carried out extensive diplomacy efforts to maintain stability in Afghanistan, but Asif claims the Taliban became a proxy for India. This is not the first time Asif has raised concerns about India’s influence in Afghanistan.

India has condemned Pakistan’s recent military actions in Afghanistan, with its Ministry of External Affairs stating that New Delhi “strongly condemns” the airstrikes on Afghan territory resulting in civilian casualties. The foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the strikes as an attempt by Pakistan to externalize its internal failures.

The Taliban administration was first established in 1996, and India initially adopted a hostile policy towards the group. However, after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, India reopened its embassy in Kabul and began engaging with the Taliban again in 2022. The country has since allowed the Taliban to operate consulates in Indian cities and held meetings abroad.

The situation remains tense between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with both countries accusing each other of supporting terrorism and external influence.

Source: Al Jazeera