India Not Part of “Troika-plus-Pakistan Conference”

What is the News?

Russia has planned to hold a Troika-plus-Pakistan conference on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russia.

About the Troika-plus-Pakistan Conference:

• Troika-plus-Pakistan meeting involves consultations between the US, Russia, China, Pakistan along with the representatives of the Afghanistan government, Taliban, and other senior Afghan leaders.
• 2 Such meetings held in 2020.
• Purpose: The meeting is expected to discuss ways to assist in advancing the intra-Afghan talks in Doha. It aims to reduce the level of violence and to end the armed conflict in Afghanistan.

Note: Unlike the United Nations(UN) led summit proposed by the US, India has not been invited to this Russian conference.

Why was India excluded from the conference?

• According to diplomatic sources, the Troika process is an already established mechanism. There was no deliberate attempt to leave India out of the proposed talks on Afghanistan.
• Further, the “Troika Plus” meeting would run in addition to and not counter to the US proposals for the future roadmap for Afghanistan.

Source: The Hindu