Afghanistan–India relations

Afghanistan-India relations

India	Afghanistan

Bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of India have been traditionally strong and friendly. While the Republic of India was the only South Asian country to recognize the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s, its relations were diminished during the 1990s Afghan civil war and the Taliban government.^[1] India aided the overthrow of the Taliban and became the largest regional provider of humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Afghanistan.^[2][3] Indians are working in various construction projects, as part of India's rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan. Pakistan alleges the Indian intelligence agency RAW is working in cover to malign Pakistan and train and support insurgents,^[4][5][6] a claim rejected strongly by India and the United States.^[7][8]

In this regard it is pertinent to mention that the Pakistani media sources exaggerate the number Indian consulates in Afghanistan, accusing them of orchestrating acts of terrorism in Pakistan. Lt. Gen. Abdul Qayyum (ret), for example, says that there are dozens of Indian consulates along the Pak-Afghan border^[9] The fact of the matter is that like Pakistan, India also has four consulates in Afghanistan. They are located in Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar and Jalalabad.^[10]

In the aftermath of the 2008 Indian embassy bombing in Kabul, the Afghan Foreign Ministry quoted India as a "brother country" and the relationship between the two as one which "no enemy can hamper". The relationship between India and Afghanistan received a major boost in 2011 with the signing of a strategic partnership agreement, Afghanistan's first since the Soviet invasion of 1979.^[11]

History

An edict of Ashoka from Kandahar, now in the Kabul museum.

Relations between the people of Afghanistan and India traces to the Indus Valley Civilization.^[12] Following Alexander the Great's brief occupation, the successor state of the Seleucid Empire controlled the region known today as Afghanistan. In 305 BC, they gave much of it to the Indian Maurya Empire as part of an alliance treaty.

Alexander took these away from the Persians and established settlements of his own, but Seleucus Nicator gave them to Sandrocottus (Chandragupta), upon terms of intermarriage and of receiving in exchange 500 elephants.^[13]

—Strabo, 64 BC – 24 AD

The Mauryans brought Buddhism from India and controlled the area south of the Hindu Kush. Their decline began 60 years after Ashoka's rule ended, leading to the Hellenistic reconquest of the region by the Greco-Bactrians. Much of it soon broke away from the Greco-Bactrians and became part of the Indo-Greek Kingdom. The Indo-Greeks had been defeated and expelled by the Indo-Scythians in the late 2nd century BCE.^[14] Much of Afghanistan has been influenced by Buddhist, Hindu and Zoroastrian cultures until the arrival of Islam in the 7th century. But despite many Afghans accepting the message of Islam, the Muslims and Hindus lived side by side.

"Kábul has a castle celebrated for its strength, accessible only by one road. In it there are Musulmáns, and it has a town, in which are infidels from Hind."^[15]

—Istahkrí, 921 AD

Between the 10th century to the mid 18th century, northern India has been invaded by a number of Turkic invders based in what today is Afghanistan Among them were the Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Khiljis, Suris, and Durranis. During these eras, especially during the Mughal period (1526–1858), many Afghans began immigrating to India due to political unrest in their regions.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Khan Sahib were prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement and active supporters of the Indian National Congress. Although the NWFP became part of the Muslim state of Pakistan in 1947, active Pashtun support for the Indian freedom struggle led to great sympathy in India for the cause of Pashtun autonomy and freedom. The Indian government continued to support Pashtun leader Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in his quest for greater Pashtun freedom in the NWFP.^[2] Indians are working in various construction projects, as part of India's rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan although the Indian intelligence agency RAW is widely quoted to be working in cover to malign Pakistan and train & support insurgents.^[4][5][6] These workers are estimated to be anywhere between 3,000 and 4,000. Indian nationals stationed in Afghanistan have often faced continuous security threats in the country, with kidnappings and many attacks (such as the February 2010 Kabul attack) deliberately carried out on them.

Soviet invasion to Taliban takeover

The Republic of India was the only South Asian nation to recognize the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the Soviet Union's military presence in Afghan territories, and provided humanitarian aid to the country.^[1] Following the withdrawal of the Soviet armed forces from Afghanistan in 1989, India and the international community supported the coalition government that took control, but relations and contacts ended with the outbreak of another civil war, which brought to power the Taliban, an Islamist militia supported by Pakistan.^[16] The Taliban regime was recognised only by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The rise of Islamism in Afghanistan and the proliferation of Afghan mujahideen in the militancy in Indian-administered Kashmir turned the Taliban and Afghanistan into a security threat for the Government of India. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha monuments by the Taliban led to outrage and angry protests by India, the birthplace of Buddhism.^[17] In 1999, the hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 landed and stayed in Kandahar in Afghanistan and the Taliban were suspected of supporting them.^[1] India became one of the key supporters of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.^[18]

Administrations of Karzai and Singh

During the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, India offered intelligence and other forms of support for the Coalition forces. After the overthrow of the Taliban, India established diplomatic relations with the newly-established democratic government, provided aid and participated in the reconstruction efforts.^[3] India has provided US$ 650–750 million in humanitarian and economic aid, making it the largest regional provider of aid for Afghanistan.^[2][3] India's support and collaboration extends to rebuilding of air links, power plants and investing in health and education sectors as well as helping to train Afghan civil servants, diplomats and police. India also seeks the development of supply lines of electricity, oil and natural gas. Also to give Afghan Students scholarships.^[3]

The Indian Army's Border Roads Organisation constructed a major road in 2009 in the remote Afghan province of Nimroz, connecting Delaram to Zaranj. This has given a viable alternative route for duty free movement of goods through the Chabahar port in Iran to Afghanistan.^{[2][3][19][20]} Key to India's strategy in Afghanistan is to build up transportation links that bypass Pakistan, helping reduce the Afghan economy's dependence on Pakistan.^[11]

In 2005, India proposed Afghanistan's membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Both nations also developed strategic and military cooperation against Islamic militants.^[2] Owing to the killing of an Indian national by Taliban militants in November 2005, India deployed 200 soldiers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to provide security for Indian nationals and the projects supported by India.^[3] Afghanistan strengthened its ties with India in wake of persisting tensions and problems with Pakistan, which was suspected of continuing to shelter and support the Taliban.^[2][3] India pursues a policy of close cooperation in order to bolster its standing as a regional power and contain its rival Pakistan, which is supporting Islamic militants in Kashmir and other parts of India.^[3]

Three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for strengthening cooperation in the fields of rural development, education and standardization between the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Afghan National Standardization Authority were signed between Afghanistan and India during Hamid Karzai's visit to India in April 2006.^[21] An agreement providing $50 million to promote bilateral businesses between Afghanistan and India was signed during the visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister Dr. Spanta between 29 June – 1 July 2006.^[21] During the same year, India raised its aid package to Afghanistan by $150 million, to $750 million.^[21] In 2007, Afghanistan finally became the eight member of SAARC.

In July 2008 the Indian embassy in Kabul was attacked by a suicide car bomb – the deadliest attack in Kabul since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.^[22] The bombing killed 58 people^[23] and wounded 141.^[24] Senior Indian Army officer Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta was entering the embassy gates in a car along with V. Venkateswara Rao when the attack took place. Both were killed in the blast.^[24] The Afghan government had claimed that Pakistan's ISI was involved in the attack.This claim has been bolstered by the recent leaks of classified information by Wikileaks.

During the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo, India pledged another USD $450 million along with $750 million already pledged for ongoing and forthcoming projects. In August 2008, Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited New Delhi. This visit further strengthened bilateral relations, and Prime Minister Singh pledged further aid for Afghanistan.^[25]

On 18 October 2009, the Indian Embassy in Kabul was attacked again by a car bomb, little more than a year after the previous attack. The attack killed at least 17 people.^[26] Another attack by Pakistan based group were carried out at the Arya guest house where Indian doctors were staying resulting in the death of 18 people. India's pledge to rebuild Afghanistan has reached a total of $2 billion in May 2011 after Manmohan Singh arrived to Kabul for a two day visit.^[27]

The September 2011 assassination of former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani was condemned by India as "Tragically, the forces of terror and hatred have silenced yet another powerful voice of reason and peace in Afghanistan. We unreservedly condemn this act of great brutality," and reiterated the steadfast support of the people and government of India in Afghanistan's "quest for peace and efforts to strengthen the roots of democracy".^[28][29] India promised to stand by the people of Afghanistan as they prepare to assume the responsibility for their governance and security after the withdrawal of international forces in 2014.^[30] In October 2011, Afghanistan signed its first strategic pact with India.^[11][31] The military assistance will include training of Afghan security personnel.^[32] During his visit to India, Karzai told the media that "This strategic partnership is not directed against any country. This strategic partnership is to support Afghanistan." He also stated that "Pakistan is our twin brother, India is a great friend. The agreement we signed with our friend will not affect our brother." He also added that "However, our engagement with Islamabad has unfortunately not yet yielded the result that we want."^[33] Both sides will launch Partnership Council, topmost body to implement the Strategic Partnership Pact in May,2012.

See also

• Foreign relations of India
• Foreign relations of Afghanistan
• Indians in Afghanistan
• Afghans in India
• Hinduism in Afghanistan
• Sikhism in Afghanistan

References

Additional reading

• Research, Reference and Training Division (2008). India 2008. New Delhi: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/80-230-1488-0|80-230-1488-0]]. 

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