Six months of Taliban rule
India must forge convergence with regional players to respond to the needs of Afghanistan
One of the most dramatic changes brought about by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan six months ago is a sharp reduction in violence. That, however, does not mean everything is moving in the right direction in a country torn apart by four decades of conflict. On the other side of the balance sheet, things are dismal. At least half the population of around 39 million is facing starvation, hundreds of thousands have fled to escape reprisals by the Taliban, hundreds of former officials and security personnel have been killed and many more rounded up, women have been banished from most aspects of public life, and an economy propped up for 20 years by billions of dollars in aid is on the brink of collapse. A recent report of the
United Nations (UN) concluded the Taliban have taken no steps to limit the activities of foreign terrorists, who enjoy greater freedom than at any time in recent history, and Afghanistan has the potential to become a safe haven for al-Qaeda and other terror groups that can threaten stability in Central Asia and beyond. Despite efforts by the West to engage the Taliban, the group has given no signs whatsoever of delivering on the most important ask being made of it — the formation of an inclusive government.
The world community is now grappling with the crucial issue of providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, for which the UN mission has projected a need for $4.4 billion during 2022. The United States’ decision to seize frozen Afghan assets of about $7 billion and to use half the funds to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and keep the remainder to meet the claims of victims of the 9/11 terror attacks has understandably angered Afghans and attracted criticism since no Afghans were involved in that terror strike. Such moves will only add to the ignominy suffered by the US for its chaotic withdrawal from and abandonment of Afghanistan, and do little to address the more pressing challenges of the Afghan people.
India has rushed several tonnes of medicines and offered 50,000 tonnes of wheat, saying its actions are guided by the special relationship with the Afghan people — a clear indication of lack of trust in the Taliban set-up. India’s envoy to the UN recently highlighted concerns about the Taliban’s links with Pakistan-based terror groups. India will be served well by a strategy of forging greater convergence with regional players to respond to the developments in Afghanistan.