The government has plans to train Afghani police officers in India.
This expanded security assistance to Kabul also sends a strong geopolitical message to various stakeholders.
What is Afghanistan’s position?
The country saw the highest civilian casualties last year since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.
Increasingly, these casualties are coming not from Afghanistan’s border areas but its cities and villages.
Only a professionally trained police force can maintain peace in such situations.
India has also announced 116 smaller “new development projects” across Afghanistan.
Hence, a Police force with strong fundamentals also becomes mandatory for protecting such projects in irrigation, housing and schools from the terror groups.
What geo-political message does India convey?
For Afghan - India plans to expand its security assistance to Afghanistan by training police officers, as part of a UNDP project.
This indicates a continued commitment for Afghan’s security & stability by active capacity building.
For Pakistan - and other countries in the region that deal with the Taliban, India’s action conveys that it will not be deterred.
This is reinforced by New Delhi’s decision to send engineers to refurbish several non-functional Soviet-era planes and to repair the helicopters that India donated to Afghanistan last year.
For U.S - and its NATO allies, India makes it clear that will play a part in putting Afghanistan back on its feet in its own way.
What message does Trade convey?
The decision to enhance security training comes on the heels of an India-Afghanistan trade fair in Delhi.
Regardless of actual transactions made, it will demonstrate a determination in exploring business possibilities.
Overcoming transit obstacles posed by Pakistan will be discussed.
The India-Afghan-Iran trilateral arrangement to circumvent geographical hurdles and the commitment to complete the ‘Chabahar port’ development project soon is another reassurance.
A sustainable trade route from South Asia to Central Asia is therefore clearly in the making.
