New Delhi
Unlike Pakistan, China is expected to join the two-day meeting of Afghanistan called by India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on November 10.
According to sources, the Chinese NSA will join the meeting virtually. Iran, Russia, and many central Asian countries have already confirmed their participation in the first-ever meeting being called by India on Afghanistan.
Pakistan has thus become an odd man out as its NSA Moeed Yusuf had refused to attend the meeting in Delhi.
The Delhi NSA-level meet is part of the series that started in 2018. The 2020 meeting was cancelled due to the Covid. The earlier two meetings happened in Tehran.
The Conference is aimed at evolving a regional consensus on the future of Afghanistan, including recognition of the Taliban regime. Besides, the Delhi meeting will also discuss the humanitarian crisis looming large in that country, and participants could commit to providing food aid to Kabul.
Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said the meeting will affirm that “India has legitimate security interests in Afghanistan.,"
“This is an attempt to counter Pakistan’s efforts to exclude us (India)," said Sibal while adding that the move also comes in the wake of other countries, such as China and Russia, seeking to discuss the future of Afghanistan without considering India as a central part of this process.
India has played a key role in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021 while the US and NATO soldiers were present in the country. India had executed several infrastructure projects including Parliament building, dam, roads, etc. India was one of the five top donors for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and has invested $3 billion in various projects.
After the Taliban took over Kabul on 15 August, New Delhi pulled out its diplomats from the country.
Kabul is looking at the Delhi meet with interest and expectations.
“The rights of the Afghans should be ensured. They should raise their voice about the frozen assets of Afghanistan,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate on Saturday. “We welcome all the summits that aim to help Afghanistan.”
Qaribullah Sadat, a political analyst told Tolo News, “We should lobby through these meetings to assure the region and world that the Islamic Emirate, which currently rules, has plans and doesn’t pose problems and harm to others.”
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