pakistani342
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crisp article here, excerpts below:
For decades, Afghanistan has been relying economically and militarily on neighboring Pakistan. But Afghan President Ghani wants to break this dependence by bolstering ties with India, where he is on a two-day visit.
...
The two leaders also pledged to speed up the implementation of an agreement between New Delhi, Tehran and Kabul to develop the Chabahar port in Iran. They said the project was vital for both India and Afghanistan as it would increase connectivity within the region. India also plans to use the Chabahar port for trade with Afghanistan in the absence of a land route through Pakistan.
...
But Afghan President Ghani has made it clear that he wants to break his country's dependence on Pakistan. Not only the Afghan government feels that Pakistan's civilian and military establishments haven't done much to rein in militant Islamists, it also accuses its neighbor of pursuing a well-planned strategy to push pro-Islamabad groups into power in Afghanistan.
...
But it's unclear if Afghanistan can really afford this gamble. "Closer ties with India could be helpful for Afghanistan's economy but, at the same time, it might create new security challenges for the country," Sayed Mahdi Manadi, a Kabul University lecturer, told DW.
After a spate of recent deadly bombings, the Afghan capital Kabul still remains in shock. Experts believe Afghanistan's increasingly close ties with India are a reason for the uptick in violence.
...
"Economically, India will continue to be an important partner for Kabul, but I would like to stress that New Delhi cannot replace Islamabad as Afghanistan shares a long border with Pakistan. Geographically, it is tied up with Pakistan in the south," Manadi added.
...
But Manadi believes that irking both Islamabad and the Taliban by getting closer to New Delhi would create problems for Kabul.
...
Siegfried O. Wolf, a South Asia analyst at the University of Heidelberg, believes that the recent Taliban statements show that the jihadists are identifying India not only as a partner of US interests in Afghanistan but also as an increasing successor in military terms and subsequently as a primary target.
...
If the two countries fail to improve their relations, they will face not only economic disaster but also armed conflict, Wolf said.
Against this backdrop, Afghans are increasingly concerned about the severe impact the geopolitical struggle involving Afghanistan, Pakistan and India is having on their lives and security.
For decades, Afghanistan has been relying economically and militarily on neighboring Pakistan. But Afghan President Ghani wants to break this dependence by bolstering ties with India, where he is on a two-day visit.
...
The two leaders also pledged to speed up the implementation of an agreement between New Delhi, Tehran and Kabul to develop the Chabahar port in Iran. They said the project was vital for both India and Afghanistan as it would increase connectivity within the region. India also plans to use the Chabahar port for trade with Afghanistan in the absence of a land route through Pakistan.
...
But Afghan President Ghani has made it clear that he wants to break his country's dependence on Pakistan. Not only the Afghan government feels that Pakistan's civilian and military establishments haven't done much to rein in militant Islamists, it also accuses its neighbor of pursuing a well-planned strategy to push pro-Islamabad groups into power in Afghanistan.
...
But it's unclear if Afghanistan can really afford this gamble. "Closer ties with India could be helpful for Afghanistan's economy but, at the same time, it might create new security challenges for the country," Sayed Mahdi Manadi, a Kabul University lecturer, told DW.
After a spate of recent deadly bombings, the Afghan capital Kabul still remains in shock. Experts believe Afghanistan's increasingly close ties with India are a reason for the uptick in violence.
...
"Economically, India will continue to be an important partner for Kabul, but I would like to stress that New Delhi cannot replace Islamabad as Afghanistan shares a long border with Pakistan. Geographically, it is tied up with Pakistan in the south," Manadi added.
...
But Manadi believes that irking both Islamabad and the Taliban by getting closer to New Delhi would create problems for Kabul.
...
Siegfried O. Wolf, a South Asia analyst at the University of Heidelberg, believes that the recent Taliban statements show that the jihadists are identifying India not only as a partner of US interests in Afghanistan but also as an increasing successor in military terms and subsequently as a primary target.
...
If the two countries fail to improve their relations, they will face not only economic disaster but also armed conflict, Wolf said.
Against this backdrop, Afghans are increasingly concerned about the severe impact the geopolitical struggle involving Afghanistan, Pakistan and India is having on their lives and security.
