India recently pledged considerable investment, announcing 150 projects worth USD 80 million at the Afghanistan 2020 Conference. This commitment was witnessed by prominent individuals including Afghanistan’s President, officials from the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU), as well as representatives from various nations. This came alongside news of the USA’s decision to cut down its troop deployment in Afghanistan to an estimated 2,500 by January 2021.
Details about India’s Current Assistance
India is set to launch phase IV of high-impact community development projects, which comprises approximately 150 projects valued at USD 80 million. A significant project includes construction of the Shahtoot dam that will supply safe drinking water to over 2 million Kabul city residents. This initiative stems from the 202 km Pul-e-Khumri transmission line of 2009 that enables India to provide electricity to the city.
A Look at India’s Past Assistance
India’s development initiatives in Afghanistan are grouped around five elements: large infrastructure projects; human resource development and capacity-building efforts; humanitarian assistance; high-impact community development projects; and boosting trade and investment via air and land connectivity. Since 2001, India has devoted USD 3 billion towards Afghanistan’s rebuilding and reconstruction. India abstained from investing in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, and has since provided alternate connectivity to Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port in Iran.
Addressing Pandemic Challenges
To contend with the Covid-19 pandemic, India dispatched over 20 tonnes of medicine and other necessary equipment, and transported 75,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan.
Shift in India’s Afghan Strategy
The Indian government’s decision to invest in Afghanistan’s future, in light of the Taliban’s growing influence, signals a marked divergence from previous policies. This is further evidenced by India’s participation in the intra-Afghan talks commencement ceremony in Doha in September 2020, which included a 21-member Taliban delegation.
Reduction of Afghan Troops by USA
In February 2020, the USA and the Taliban entered an agreement in Doha. As per the agreement, the USA would withdraw all its forces from Afghanistan within 14 months, and free Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government. In exchange, the Taliban pledged to prevent jihadist organisations like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State from using Afghanistan as their base, and committed to direct negotiations with the Afghan government.
Impact of the Troop Reduction
The decision to reduce troops comes at a critical time, leaving Afghan forces without crucial support, especially airpower, and impacting their morale. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has committed to funding Afghan troops for an additional four years, however, this decision leaves Afghanistan’s future uncertain with the expected takeover by the Taliban after the troops’ withdrawal.
Taliban’s Growing Threat
The Taliban, ousted from power in 2001 following the USA invasion, has since been battling both foreign troops and the Afghan government. They currently control more than half the country and challenge its entirety. Since the agreement was signed, the Taliban have launched over 13,000 attacks nationwide, with a UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UMAMA) report stating that nearly 6,000 Afghan civilians have been killed in the first nine months of the year, with 45% attributed to the Taliban.
The Way Forward
Despite the escalating violence in Afghanistan, both sides – the government representatives and the Taliban – remain at the negotiating table, seemingly reaching an initial compromise. India advocates for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, insisting that the peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled. Going forward, India aims to work alongside Afghanistan and the international community towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan.
