Why South Asia is Needed in Afghanistan

Analysis

Ajay Kumar Mishra

Shraddha Rishi

Abstract

The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has changed the country’s national identity. They renamed the country the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to reflect this transformation. Afghanistan has always been plagued by turmoil due to its strategic location, with outside forces taking advantage of the situation. As a result, Afghanistan has never been able to develop a strong national or regional outlook. This article argues that Afghanistan has not been able to make choices that reflect its interests. The article also discusses the potential for South Asia to play a role in helping Afghanistan rebuild and prosper, while also addressing the threat of Taliban. The region can use its cultural connections and willingness to cooperate to gradually engage with Afghanistan and promote economic stability and security.

 Introduction

The Taliban, this year, on January 29 organised a Regional Cooperation Initiative meeting which included representatives and envoys of 12 countries that are leading stakeholders in Afghanistan. Apart from India, the meeting included delegates from Kazakhstan, Türkiye, Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan. The meeting aimed to cultivate a "region-centric narrative intended to promote regional cooperation for positive and constructive engagement between Afghanistan and regional countries." Only two South Asian countries, India and Pakistan, which are currently in conflict, were present to seek regional cooperation with a focus on the region. This demonstrates a diminished emphasis on South Asia as a region in Afghanistan. Earlier, in a meeting of foreign ministers of member-states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) which was scheduled to be held on September 26 on the sidelines of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York the member states were unable to agree upon the participation of Taliban Regime of Afghanistan, with Pakistan and India in particular at loggerheads over the issue.It is evident that the South Asian region is not actively engaged in resolving the Afghan conflict. Furthermore, South Asia was not included in the Doha negotiations. This situation could deteriorate as the Taliban continues to garner support from undemocratic Pakistan and authoritarian China. The emergence of two new alliances, namely China-Pak and Taliban, may exacerbate the already precarious situation in Afghanistan, potentially turning it into a volatile environment.

The Taliban marked two years in power in Afghanistan with a show of brute force. The economy remains in a tailspin- with a 20.7 % contraction, and severe drought, has increased the number of people living in poverty from 19 million in 2020 to 34 million in 2022. Nearly, 15.5 million Afghans are hungry- or facing food insecurity, and restrictions on women working have further depleted household incomes. However, Humanitarian aid tranches continue to be delivered by various countries including the US and the UK- catch-22 since if they don’t give funds, more Afghans would suffer.  European High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell saidthatThe European Union will have to engage with the Taliban to provide support to the Afghan people even if it does not recognise them as legitimate rulers of the country. We have to talk with them for everything, even to try to protect women and girls. Even for that, you have to get in touch with them. We will put conditions for continual support, and we are going to use our leverage to make human rights to be respected.

Finding ‘South Asia’ in Afghanistan withEngaged Tolerance

To better understand the region in Afghanistan, it is important to take a look at its recent history. Afghanistan has been drawn into wars due to imperialistic agendas. Both the United States and the Soviet Union, who are at opposite ideological ends, have intervened in the past to assert their imperialistic ambitions.Afghanistan has been a venue for two great wars. The first began in 1979 when Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan. In response, the US made unholy and uneasy alliances — working with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and others while backing Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviets. After the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in 1988, the US quickly followed suit. The vacuum facilitated the growth of religious fanaticism and the emergence of the Taliban. Again, in the early 21st century, Afghanistan became a staging ground for the 9/11 terrorist attacks against America.As Kenneth Waltz argues the vice to which great powers easily succumb in a multipolar world is inattention; in a bipolar world, overreaction; in a unipolar world, overextension, Afghanistan has fallen victim to the vices of great powers: inattention, overreaction, and overextension.The interventions from outside the country have caused significant damage to Afghanistan’s social and cultural fabric, besides dealing a severe economic blow.

 To achieve stability and development in a way that benefits the Afghan people, the country needs support from neighbouring regions. Regionalism can help build trust and cooperation to tackle common challenges. Unfortunately, Afghanistan’s history of instability has prevented it from finding a stable path forward in both internal and external affairs. Therefore, adopting a regional approach is recommended, keeping in mind that regional stability and economic prosperity are essential for promoting democracy.

The South Asian region, like the EU, cannot afford to ignore the Afghanistan question, considering the high stakes involved from both humanitarian and self-interest perspectives. Afghanistan presents a classic case that tests South Asia’s approach to finding solutions through positional and interest-based angles. The region may choose to maintain its stance on liberty, the rule of law, and human rights, given the collusion of positional and interest-based stances in Afghanistan. This is because South Asia can no longer tolerate radicalization that not only jeopardises human rights and basic liberty in the country of origin but also affects the entire region due to ethnic connections and porous borders.This sort of an extremist government in Kabul is going to be nobody’s friend. We have already suffered because of radicalisation within the Pakistani military and the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).

 Moreover, Afghanistan serves as a bridge connecting South Asia and Central Asia. To begin with, it might be a good idea to have inter-regional discussions on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to interpret Sharia law in a way that aligns with democratic principles, as has been done in countries like Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, which have significant Muslim populations. However, the Pakistani deep state is comfortable with the Taliban, particularly with the Haqqani Network faction. This situation limits the possibility of finding a solution involving Pakistan.Our second option could be to establish connections with a more moderate faction of the Taliban. To do this, we must avoid viewing the situation only from a security perspective. The countries in the South Asian region should increase the regional capabilities of their technical mission in Afghanistan and also make it easier for moderate elements of the Taliban seeking education, sports and cultural training, and healthcare to obtain visas. Thirdly, South Asia should revive old sentiments of Afghanistan and train moderate members of the Taliban to steer them away from radicalisation. These efforts will help promote democratic values, which will play a vital role in creating a well-informed citizenry among Afghans. Finally, engaging the Taliban in regional dialogues on security and development will gradually eliminate the warring factions in the country. This will lead to the development of regional cooperation, which is the ultimate goal of the current Taliban government. It will also alleviate the sense of alienation and insecurity among the general public. Additionally, it will provide a forum from where the region, especially India, can redress the presence of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Haqqani Network, and other terror groups operating from Af-Pak borders.

Conclusion

Afghanistan has suffered greatly due to the interference of major powers in its history. These interventions have been irresponsible and driven by personal motives, resulting in significant costs to the country. Despite this, a regional solution has not been considered. However, since Afghanistan is a member of SAARC, it is the responsibility of South Asian countries to aid in the establishment of a secure and stable Afghanistan. To achieve this, South Asia must adopt a strategy of engagement and tolerance that involves moderate elements of the Taliban without compromising core values such as the rule of law, human rights, and individual freedoms.

Ajay Kumar Mishra- The author teaches Economics at Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Bihar, India. He has earned a PhD from the Centre for South Asian Studies, JNU, New Delhi, India.

Shraddha Rishi-The co- author teaches Political Science at Magadh University, Bodhgaya, Bihar.  She has earned a PhD from the Centre for South Asian Studies, JNU, New Delhi, India.

Disclaimer: This paper is the author’s individual scholastic contribution and does not necessarily reflect the organisation’s viewpoint.