{"id":11045,"date":"2017-10-24T15:44:39","date_gmt":"2017-10-24T10:14:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=11045"},"modified":"2017-10-24T15:44:39","modified_gmt":"2017-10-24T10:14:39","slug":"india-afghanistan-relations-an-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-afghanistan-relations-an-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"India-Afghanistan relations: An overview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Afghan President Ashraf Ghani shall hold detailed talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on security and stability in Afghanistan, and efforts to combat terrorism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>How were the <\/strong><strong>Indo-Afghanistan relations<\/strong><strong> in the Ancient Days?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India\u00a0Afghanistan relations can be traced back to<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Indus Valley Civilization.<\/li>\n<li>The\u00a0Seleucid empire\u00a0controlled that part which is present day Afghanistan<\/li>\n<li>The historic\u00a0Khyber Pass\u00a0that connects Afghanistan to Indian subcontinent is a part of Silk Road that facilitated trade and brought many foreign invasions into India<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Historical background of India-Afghanistan relations<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Whilst the Republic of India was the only South Asian country to recognize the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s<\/li>\n<li>However, their relations were diminished during the 1990s Afghan civil war and the Taliban government.<\/li>\n<li>India aided the overthrow of the Taliban and became the largest regional provider of humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Afghanistan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>What are the different Areas of Cooperation between the two sides?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Economic Cooperation:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India is the second largest destination for Afghanistan exports.<\/li>\n<li>Afghanistan possess many\u00a0<strong>minerals<\/strong>\u00a0like gold, iron, copper etc. Indian companies have invested in its mining sector<\/li>\n<li>More than 100 companies have invested in various sectors of its economy including agriculture, communications, Information Technology etc.<\/li>\n<li>The proposed <strong>TAPI (Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan and India<\/strong>) pipeline passes through Afghanistan. It is for importing Natural Gas from Turkmenistan to India.<\/li>\n<li>India, Iran and Afghanistan have jointly signed a trade deal. The deal aims at investment in\u00a0<strong>Chabahar port<\/strong>\u00a0for accessing landlocked Afghanistan by circumventing Pakistan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What are the various India\u2019s Development Programs in Afghanistan?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India continues to assist Afghanistan in its reconstruction program by providing a bilateral assistance of 2 Billion USD.<\/li>\n<li>India has also completed many infrastructure projects in Afghanistan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Some notable examples are<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Salma Damin Herat Province<\/li>\n<li>Parliament Buildingin Kabul<\/li>\n<li>Road project in Nimroz Province<\/li>\n<li>A power project near Kabul<\/li>\n<li>India also has established hospitals and runs midday meal schemes for Afghan school children<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Defense Cooperation:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India provides training to Afghanistan military officers in Indian military academies<\/li>\n<li>In 2014 India signed an agreement with Afghanistan and Russia. According to this agreement Russia will provide all military equipment needed by Afghanistan and India will pay for it<\/li>\n<li>India has directly provided three Russian-made Mi-25 attack helicopters to Afghan Air Force in 2015<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Corporation in fighting Terrorism<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India wants a democratic and peaceful Afghanistan for stability in its relations.\u00a0But the country faces terror threats in the following ways<\/li>\n<li><strong>Afghani Taliban\u00a0<\/strong>is a majorterrorist group. They are attempting to take over the democratically elected Government\u00a0in Afghanistan<\/li>\n<li><strong>Al Qaeda<\/strong>and many other terrorist groups like\u00a0<strong>Haqqani Network<\/strong> are very active in Afghanistan<\/li>\n<li>The recent rise of\u00a0<strong>Islamic State<\/strong>terrorists may have spillover effects on India in future<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>How are relations between India and Afghanistan in the present scenario?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Strategic partnership agreement<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Strategic Partnership Agreement of 2011 strengthened the relation between India and Afghanistan.<\/li>\n<li>The construction and opening of Afghanistan\u2019s parliament building and the Afghanistan-India friendship dam (Salma Dam) stands out.<\/li>\n<li>India\u2019s timely provision of a few helicopters, which has contributed to an enabling environment for stabilization, and development of Afghanistan.<\/li>\n<li>India helps Afghanistan to rebuild its infrastructure and institutions, education and technical assistance, encourages investment in Afghanistan\u2019s natural resources, providing duty free access to the Indian markets for its exports.<\/li>\n<li>India aims for an Afghan-led Afghan-owned, broad based and inclusive process of peace and reconciliation and advocates the need for sustained and long-term commitment to Afghanistan by the international community.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Bilateral Trade<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India and Afghanistan have a strong relationship based on historical and cultural links, it\u2019s focal point have been trade and commerce.<\/li>\n<li>The Silk road has proved to pave the way of forever existing equation between the two countries.<\/li>\n<li>Their corridor is important for the geo-strategic location connecting the East and the West Asia.<\/li>\n<li>India\u2019s bilateral trade with Afghanistan stood at $684.47 million in 2014-15, an increase of 0.20% over $683.10 million a year ago.<\/li>\n<li>India\u2019s export to Afghanistan in 2014-15 stood at $ 422.56 million, while its imports from Afghanistan were worth $261.91 million.<\/li>\n<li>India delivered three Russian made MI-25 attack helicopters to Afghanistan in December 2015.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cultural Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ICCR Scholarships for Afghan students for education and technical skills.<\/li>\n<li>Technical Capacity building programs of ITEC and ICAR for Afghan mid-career officers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Sister City relations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Kabul \u2013 New Delhi<\/li>\n<li>Kandahar \u2013 Mumbai<\/li>\n<li>Ajmer Sharif \u2013 Herat<\/li>\n<li>Hyderabad \u2013 Jalalabad<\/li>\n<li>Ahmedabad \u2013 Asadabad<\/li>\n<li>State of Assam \u2013 Province of Helmand<\/li>\n<li>The cities will be connected through tourism, student and Faculty exchange programme.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Economic Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Preferential Trade Agreement signed in March 2003 under which India allowed duty concessions, and removed custom duties for all Afghan products.<\/li>\n<li>With the Operation of Chabahar Port in Iran, Afghan exports would receive further boost, as a new transit route for trade.<\/li>\n<li>Steel authority if India is setting a plant in Afghanistan\u2019s Hajigak iron ore reserves<\/li>\n<li>The volume of Indo-Afghan trade stood at $680 million during 2013-2014, a figure that should exponentially rise, following the full implementation of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement (APTTA).<\/li>\n<li>Indian investors remain deeply interested in the many \u201cvirgin markets\u201d of Afghanistan, including mining, agriculture and agribusiness, information and technology, telecommunications, and others<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Why is Afghanistan important to India?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pipeline Routes<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The country is located strategically adjacent to the oil and gas rich Middle East &amp; Central Asia giving it an important geostrategic location.<\/li>\n<li>Afghanistan becomes an\u00a0<em>attractive real estate for dominance on the pipeline routes.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Natural Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Afghanistan is rich in natural resources such as previous metals and minerals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Regional Balance of Power<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India needs Afghanistan to keep Pakistan in check just like China has been using Pakistan against India<\/li>\n<li>When Afghanistan was invaded by US in 2001, its objectives were to oust Taliban and control of natural resources of Afghanistan.<\/li>\n<li>There was an agenda for the US and India to prevent Russian and Chinese hegemony in Central Asia.<\/li>\n<li>Russia maintains Afghanistan as embankment to protect its vulnerable southern border from illegal narcotics and Islamic extremism.<\/li>\n<li>These factors make Afghanistan has become a center of power struggle between super powers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>What can be expected from the visit?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The visit will build upon the recent high-level bilateral exchanges between the two countries, including the recent visit of Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.<\/li>\n<li>The sides share a common objective of promoting security and stability in Afghanistan and efforts to combat terrorism.<\/li>\n<li>Both sides will have the opportunity to review the entire gamut of multifaceted bilateral strategic partnership, including the New Development Partnership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Context Afghan President Ashraf Ghani shall hold detailed talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on security and stability in Afghanistan, and efforts to combat terrorism. How were the Indo-Afghanistan relations in the Ancient Days? India\u00a0Afghanistan relations can be traced back to\u00a0Indus Valley Civilization. The\u00a0Seleucid empire\u00a0controlled that part which is present day Afghanistan The historic\u00a0Khyber Pass\u00a0that&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-afghanistan-relations-an-overview\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">India-Afghanistan relations: An overview<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":11049,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-editorials","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/52158933-modi-ghani.jpg?fit=1002%2C557&ssl=1","views":{"total":131,"cached_at":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11045\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}