Talks between Taliban and India

The Taliban's worst defeat at the hands of the United States and its allies, including NATO, has raised fears of a new civil war in Afghanistan. The United States is trying to give its new ally India a role in the region. Has begun talks with the Taliban. During the second week of June in Doha, Qatar, Indian Foreign Minister SJ Shankar paid a silent visit twice and met with Taliban leader Mullah Baradar, Khairullah, Sheikh Dilawar. Indian officials hold direct talks with Taliban I told him that since the Taliban would play a significant role in the future of Afghanistan, there was a dialogue between India and the Taliban. India has invested heavily in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a pro-Afghan country. Therefore, both of them want to get closer to the forces that will influence the country in the future. India wants to step into Afghanistan under the guise of development and reconstruction. He will try not to create any problem for the Taliban or their elements in Kashmir.


On his way to Kuwait and Kenya on June 9 and 15, the Indian Foreign Minister met with Qatari Foreign Minister, National Security Adviser, and US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmai Khalilzad in Doha. Qatar has been very active in the Afghan peace process in the recent past. The Qatari government has been facilitating the Taliban's headquarters in Doha since 2013. It organized the Intra-Afghan Taliban Dialogue in September 2020. It was attended by the Indian Foreign Minister and the Indian delegation, led by JP Singh, Joint Secretary for India, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Over the past two decades, US and NATO forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan have failed to achieve the desired results. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Schweiger emphasized the role of Iran and Pakistan in bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan and warned that the withdrawal of US troops could trigger a civil war in the region.


With these contacts between the Taliban and India, New Delhi will want the Taliban to adopt a softer attitude towards India against the wishes of Pakistan. On the other hand, the United States and Western countries are pressuring Pakistan to reduce or eliminate its proximity to China. Prime Minister Imran Khan himself acknowledged that no matter what the pressure, relations between Pakistan and China cannot be changed. The United States has formed a regional alliance called Quad, which includes India, Japan, Australia and the United States.


The United States has warned in the wake of the Taliban's advance that it will launch airstrikes if it does not stop its attacks or end its occupation of Afghanistan. The Taliban have seized more than 100 of Afghanistan's more than 400 districts. If the United States launches air strikes on the Taliban during its evacuation process as threatened by General Scott Miller, the difficulties will increase. How the Afghan government's 4,000-strong Rapid Reaction Force, led by former military officers, will fight the Taliban will be determined in the coming days.


The United States is also sending the message that US financial assistance to Afghanistan can only continue if there is a government in this country that everyone recognizes. The distances between Russia and Pakistan have narrowed since the Musharraf regime. Russia has in the past promoted India's expansionist ambitions in the region. Now, if the Taliban succeed in regaining control of Kabul, India's influence will end. India's anti-Pakistan bases in Afghanistan will be closed. That is why India is pushing to maintain its presence in the region. In this situation, Pakistan should focus on intensifying diplomacy to end India's influence in Afghanistan.