Earlier this week, India played host to a delegation from the Taliban led by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. And while the visit was not without controversy, what’s clear is that there has been a thaw in the relationship between India and the Taliban, perhaps on account of a common enemy in the form of Pakistan, who, both India and the Taliban view as a threat besides other areas where they can find common ground.
However, that leaves us with a different set of problems. For one, India was considered a close ally of the US Forces in Afghanistan and had begun a social outreach programme in the country helping set up educational institutions, providing the newly installed government with military training and support, funding infrastructure projects, besides also helping the country in the sports arena, helping develop the Afghan national cricket team, etc. India had also opened its doors for students from Afghanistan to come and study at its colleges, which went a long way in helping thousands of families from the war torn country. At the time of the Taliban takeover India also offered refuge to several Afghanis who were fleeing the Taliban fearing reprisals.
Cozying up to the Taliban represents a clear betrayal of the idea of a liberal Afghanistan that India so rightly had espoused in the aftermath of the US war on terror that focussed on rebuilding the country with the hope that it would one day enhance India’s influence in the region.
More than that, however, India, which envisions itself as a growing world superpower is inexplicably failing to use its influence over the Taliban to pressure the government to be more liberal towards basic human rights.
That attitude was on full display barely two days ago when the Indian government and the ministry of external affairs washed its hands off a decision of the Afghan embassy to bar women from attending the press conference.
It was only after journalist unions, and editors’ guilds and of course media houses and individual journalists began to express outrage against the treatment of women journalists, did the Indian government speak up. Such was the outrage that the Taliban minister agreed to hold another press conference on Sunday in which all were invited.
If the common citizen can be outraged enough to force the representative of a foreign government to temper their stance on liberal values, there is no reason why the Government of India should not use the opportunity to push the visiting dignitary towards a less conservative and more open treatment of its citizens.
It is clear that the Taliban government has sent a high level delegation to India because they look forward to cooperating with India over a range of issues. It should not be too difficult for India to make a list of its own demands in return -- demands that would mean a better life for the people of Afghanistan, education for women and a society where the government doesn’t decide personal choices.
India has several similar opportunities in the past, but has failed to use the opportunity -- be it with Myanmar or now Afghanistan. If India is serious about maintaining a relationship with the Taliban government it needs to be one which does not compromise on the principles that this country was built on.
