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NATION AUGUST 13, 2021 | The Indian Eye 8

as Taliban closes-in on

Kabul, how can India protect

its interests?

S GOpal purI

New Delhi

fter the February 2020
US-Taliban agreement,
Athe situation in Afghan-
istan has only worsened. Offi-
cially the US troops are going
to withdraw from Afghanistan
by September 2021. But the
war has already begun. The
Taliban has seized most of Af-
ghanistan’s districts and is con-
tinuously in the fight with the
Afghan army in cities. Recently
the Taliban captured the pro-
vincial capital of the province
Helmand, Lashkar Gah. It is a
strategic and sensitive region
that connects the Afghan trade
zone with Iran. Besides, the Tal-
iban has also entered many oth-
er provincial capitals including
Kandahar, and Herat.

Dead body of Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, who was killed while covering a clash between Afghan secu-
In this situation, India rity forces and Taliban, at his home in New Delhi last month . (ANI)
is among the countries

whose concerns are in- Mazar-i-Sharaf, and Herat in torial integrity. iban occupation in Afghanistan,
the west.
According to research pub-
Anti-Indian groups might again
creasing gradually. after Additionally, India also in- lished by Avinash Paliwal, a lec- get grounds in Afghanistan and
9/11, when the US invaded vested in building a 42-mega- turer in Diplomacy and Public incidents like the 1999 plane
watt Salma Dam in Herat, Policy at SOAS University of hijacking occur once again. Ad-
afghanistan, India made a which is now under the control London on Carnegie India, $3bn ditionally, this could also help
decision and positioned it- of the Taliban. Except for these isn’t a big deal for India current- groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba to
million-dollar projects, India ly. India has more than this which use the Afghan soil to disturb
self with the new US lead has also helped building hospi- she could lose in Afghanistan. India in Kashmir and penetrate
afghan regime. tals, infrastructure, providing Paliwal says that Afghani- deeper into the country.
scholarships, Training Afghan stan is the only route for India
There is also the question of
cadets, and many more. to reach the central Asian coun- India helping in bringing peace
India started investing in After these all, if the Tali- tries, and this region could ben- to Afghanistan. The answer to
different projects including the ban succeeds to occupy Kabul. efit India with $100bn yearly in the question isn’t easy in accor-
218 kilometers Zaranj-Delaram There might not be any room trade. Therefore, India helped dance with the current situation
Highway, near the border with for Indian influence in Afghani- construct Zaranj-Delaram in Afghanistan. However, ac-
Iran. The $150 million road stan. And in this case, India will Highway in Afghanistan and cording to critics, there is only
links Kandahar in the south, definitely have a lot of problems Chabahar port in Iran. one way to end this and bring
Ghazni and Kabul in the east, with its trade, assets, and terri- Moreover, as a result of Tal- Continued on next page... >>

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