With the Taliban having taken control of Kabul, and the whole of Afghanistan for that matter, India is not in a hurry to come out with its final official views on the development. “India will not jump the gun as regards giving reaction on the question about whether or not to establish communication with the gun-toting Taliban,” sources told The Daily Guardian. “India is monitoring the situation closely”, is all that has come as an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday.
Officials say that the priority at this point of time is to safeguard Indian nationals, Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan. India is constantly in touch with their representatives, says MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi. “We’ll facilitate repatriation to India of those who wishes to leave Afghanistan,” he added.
Sources told TDG that a crucial high-level meeting is scheduled to take place after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar returns from New York where he chaired UNSC meeting on Afghanistan situation and terrorism. The feedback from the global community including UNSC members on the Afghan situation after the Taliban takeover will be assessed in the meeting to be held at South Block.
As the situation is volatile and developing, India will wait and watch before making any final opinion of the same, says a diplomat. “Delhi’s option at this moment is to secure Indians against possible consequences,” says the diplomat. However, the question remains whether India will now shed its earlier reluctance not to talk with the Taliban. Secondly, the question is also about whether India in due course of time will extend recognition to the Taliban regime if it is put in place.
According to sources, top security, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials held discussions about the situation in Afghanistan and plans for the future and these questions also figured. Evacuation plans topped the agenda, but discussions were also focused on next steps to be taken vis-à-vis a Taliban ‘regime’ in Afghanistan, sources added. “What was suggested in the meeting was that as the situation is unfolding rapidly and the Taliban’s future course of action is yet to be seen by the entire world, India should wait and watch before reaching any conclusion,” sources said. The inputs of this meeting will be shared with Jaishankar and a fresh brainstorming will take place after his return from New York, say sources.
Meanwhile, whatever was discussed on Afghanistan in UNSC on Monday augured well for India’s diplomatic mission to gain global attention on its extended neighbourhood and also on Pakistan’s motives behind the entire development. The global forum shared India’s concern on the risk of Afghanistan turning into a safe haven for terror organisations under the Taliban with Pakistan’s support.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met under the presidency of India and discussed at length the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan that intensified further with the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres took cognisance of “chilling reports of severe restrictions on human rights” and said he was particularly concerned about mounting violations against women and girls. “We cannot and must not abandon the people of Afghanistan,” the UN chief said.
Guterres called on the UNSC to “use all tools at its disposal” to suppress global terrorist threats in Afghanistan and ensure human rights are not violated.
Significantly, the UN chief also once said that seizing power through military force is a “losing proposition” and can only lead to prolonged civil war and the complete isolation of the war-torn nation.
In its first reaction to the unfolding developments in Afghanistan, India on Monday said it is constantly monitoring the situation and will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals as well as its interests in that country. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India is also in touch with representatives of the Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan and will facilitate the repatriation of those who wish to leave that country.
“The situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels. The government will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan,” Bagchi said.
“The security situation in Kabul has deteriorated significantly in the last few days. It is changing rapidly even as we speak,” Bagchi said. He said there are a number of Afghans who have been India’s partners in the promotion of mutual developmental, educational and people-to-people endeavours and India will stand by them.