The Rise of the Taliban: India’s Afghan Conundrum

For two decades, India invested heavily in Afghanistan—building the Parliament, roads, dams. We had a strategic partnership with the old government. Then, in a matter of weeks, the Taliban took over. India was caught completely off guard. Now, we are in a position where we have to deal with the Taliban, a group we never officially recognized, because we have security concerns. We don’t want Afghan soil used for terrorism against India (think of groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed). It’s a painful lesson in geopolitics: you can’t tie your interests to a government propped up by foreign armies. We are now sending humanitarian aid and engaging quietly through technical channels. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it shows that in this region, you have to be pragmatic. Ideology often takes a backseat when your national security is on the line.