New foray into the great game: 

New foray into the great game: 

Context:

• The question of a larger Indian role in securing Afghanistan is expected to figure prominently in the talks between the visiting US Defense Secretary James Mattis and the Indian leadership.

Introduction:

• The visit of Mattis is likely to give a concrete shape on expanding India-US security cooperation in Afghanistan
• The developments in Afghanistan in the 1970s and 1980s saw the United States deepen its partnership with Pakistan to the dismay of India.
• Collaboration in Afghanistan marks an important shift in the international relations of South Asia.
• US, President Donald Trump, last month pointed out that India among the neighbours of Pakistan to play a larger role in Afghanistan.
• India and the US are fully aware that without stronger external military support to the government in Kabul, which is fighting a rearguard battle against the Pakistan-backed Taliban, the talk of development could become increasingly futile.
• India and the US are fully aware that without stronger external military support to the government in Kabul, which is fighting a rearguard battle against the Pakistan-backed Taliban, the talk of development could become increasingly futile.
• Delhi debates a larger security role in Afghanistan in addition to its developmental partnership, far too much attention has been devoted to the question of India putting boots on the ground in Afghanistan.

Developments in Afghanistan:

• The developments in Afghanistan in the 1970s and 1980s saw the United States deepen its partnership with Pakistan to the dismay of India.
• Since the early 2000s, when the US warmed up to India, Afghanistan remained an area of disagreement.
• Higher level of Indian involvement in Afghanistan with active US support is likely to have significant long-term consequences for the region.

Key facts:

• The lack of physical access has imposed substantial limitations on Delhi’s military role in Afghanistan.
• This geographic limitation has reinforced India’s traditional reluctance to take risks in its security policy.
• It was no surprise then that Delhi stuck to a developmental programme, training of armed forces, and limited non-lethal military assistance to Afghanistan all these years.
• Delhi has begun to overcome this caution by supplying four combat helicopters to Afghanistan.
• Another constraint on India has been the US resistance to a larger Indian security footprint in Afghanistan.
• Washington welcomed Indian economic presence in Afghanistan and often tried, unsuccessfully, to promote regional economic cooperation between Delhi, Islamabad and Kabul.
• Any substantive India-US strategic coordination in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s inevitable reaction to it could presage a major change in the regional politics of South Asia.