Need both humanitarian and strategic responses in Afghanistan, former diplomats say

Afghanistan remains very important for India from a point of national security.

As events unfold rapidly in Afghanistan, regional power India needs to shape its response on two fronts – humanitarian and strategic - experts, including former diplomats, told Moneycontrol.

On the humanitarian front, India could take up more refugees fleeing Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, though for a specific period of time. And from a strategic perspective, India should protect its own sphere of influence especially against the backdrop of China and Pakistan increasing theirs.

“At this moment of a humanitarian catastrophe, India should be generous, open and forthcoming," said Neelam Deo, a former senior diplomat and co-founder of foreign policy think-tank Gateway House.

Deo said that India should be liberal in allowing those who have managed to come over to India, as well as Afghan students and those here on medical visas.

“Afghans can't simply cross over to India as we don't have a land border. But if they managed to come somehow, then they should have the right to apply for a visa,” Deo said.

The Indian Air Force and Air India have evacuated Indian citizens including diplomatic staff, workers and journalists, as well as many Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, including Afghan senators.

Over the past two weeks, as the Taliban captured Kabul and scenes of utter chaos were relayed on social media and TV screens across the globe, the United States flew the most evacuation flights. By some accounts, some 17,000 people were evacuated out of Kabul airport by the US last week.

Most of these evacuees were locals who worked with the American military, the embassies and as contractors and translators. These people are now housed in military airbases in Qatar and Kuwait and reports state that the US is talking to allied nations to take some of these refugees for the time being.

India should show humanitarian gesture

Deo said that India should consider taking some of these refugees, for a fixed period of time, to bolster its humanitarian image, and considering that it is the pre-eminent power in South Asia with long, friendly ties with Afghanistan.

"We are not accepting refugees en masse as a matter of foreign policy. However, if the Americans request us, we could accept some numbers for a fixed period of time,” she said.

There are thousands of Afghan citizens in India currently, either students or those on business, and especially those who have come on medical visa to get treatment in India.

Moneycontrol has reported how Afghans in India remain fearful of the fate of friends and family back home.

  "India should also try to increase our response to the needs of Afghans who are already in India. For example, Afghan students who need to lawfully increase their visa, but who will also need to continue to receive scholarships, and those on medical visas. We cannot and absolutely should not force any of them to return," Deo said.

In ‘Great Game’, India will have to protect its interests

There are many in the diplomatic community who think that the Taliban of today, more hungry for validation from the world, will govern differently than it did before. However, the situation is a complicated one. India and the United States are not the only two players in the region, with China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia all having a significant stake in Afghanistan’s present and future.

"We should firstly differentiate between the situation now and 20 years back. We need more understanding at this point in time to learn how the game can be played,” said a former senior diplomat who was India’s representative to the United Nations. The person did not wish to be named.

The person said that Afghanistan remains very important for India from a point of national security and India should continue to have strong relations with the United States who in turn has contact with the Taliban.

“Rather than just engage with the Taliban, New Delhi also needs to have its old relationship with Russia, Iraq and the Central Asian republics. The Gulf countries also have a certain kind of leverage with the Taliban," he said.

The latest crisis in Afghanistan has grave implications for India. This includes investments in the Chabahar Port and International North South Transport Corridor, many of which have Afghanistan as a key partner.

Led by former Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh, a new insurgency had begun against the Taliban last week in the Panjshir Mountains. This new Northern Alliance is also led by Ahmad Massoud, the son of Afghanistan's erstwhile rebel hero Ahmad Shah Massoud.

However, while India had forged ties with Massoud senior back in the 1990s, this new Northern Alliance has quickly crumbled under a major onslaught by the Taliban.

"Earlier, India's connection to Afghan rebels had been in coordination with Russia and Iran. We do not have that kind of relationship with those two countries at this moment as Russia has moved a little bit closer to Pakistan and much closer to China,” Deo said.

Now, China will be a big factor. So we have to keep that in mind. Should India support the rebels, there will be many ways to provide some level of financial or other help. There still are Afghan National Army personnel who have been trained in India," Deo said.