The recent 9th Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Dushanbe, Tajikistan witnessed participation from India’s External Affairs Minister. The focus was on reinforcing a ‘double peace’ strategy, denoting tranquility within and around Afghanistan. India continues to extend its support to the Intra-Afghan Negotiations (IAN).
Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process: A Path Towards Peace
The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) was initiated in November 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey. It provides a sincere and result-focused regional cooperation platform with Afghanistan at its center. The primary objective is acknowledging the importance of a secure and stable Afghanistan for the prosperity of the Heart of Asia region.
The platform aims to address shared challenges and interests between Afghanistan, its neighbors, and its regional partners. It comprises 15 participating countries, 17 supporting countries, and 12 backing regional and international organizations. India is part of the participating nations.
Over time, the process has become crucial in regional cooperation, promoting dialogue and addressing regional challenges with Afghanistan at the core.
The Intra-Afghan Negotiations: Road to Resolution
The Intra-Afghan Negotiations (IAN) focuses on talks between the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents. The goal is to conclude nearly two decades of conflict that has ravaged Afghanistan and cost thousands of combatant and civilian lives.
The negotiation participants aim to set a date and modalities for a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, including an agreement over the future political roadmap of Afghanistan. The discussions will cover diverse issues such as women’s rights, free speech, and potential changes to the Afghanistan constitution. The fate of Taliban fighters and Afghanistan’s heavily armed warlord militias will also be addressed.
Regional Connectivity Initiatives: towards Prosperity
At the conference, the Afghanistan President acknowledged several regional connectivity initiatives. These included the Chabahar port project and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline.
India’s Stand on Afghanistan Peace Process
India firmly believes that any peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled. It should respect Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and preserve the progress made towards a democratic Islamic Republic in Afghanistan.
The interests of minorities, women, and vulnerable society sections must also be preserved. The issue of violence across Afghanistan and its neighboring countries needs to be efficiently addressed.
The TAPI Pipeline: Instrument of Peace and Prosperity
The TAPI Pipeline, or the Peace pipeline, is a 1,814km natural gas pipeline stretching from Turkmenistan to India, passing through Afghanistan and Pakistan. The project aims to commercialize Turkmenistan’s gas reserves and supply them to the neighboring countries to boost the use of natural gas and enhance energy security.
TAPI Pipeline Company (TPCL), a consortium of four individual state-owned gas companies Turkmengaz (Turkmenistan), Afghan Gas (Afghanistan), Interstate Gas Service (Pakistan), and Gas Authority of India and Indian Oil (India), is developing the project.
Development agreements were signed in December 2010 between the four countries in an Inter Government Agreement (IGA) and Gas Pipeline Framework Agreements (GPFA). The pipeline is a symbol of unity among these nations and a step towards regional economic advancement.
