India seeks to block Pakistan “strategic depth” in Afghanistan

According to US Congressional report, India’s goals are to deny Pakistan “strategic depth” in Afghanistan and the ability to block India from trade and other connections to Central Asia and beyond, and to prevent militants in Afghanistan from attacking Indian targets.

The report by the Congressional Research Service also notes that US-Pakistan relations, which deteriorated after the 2011 Abbottabad raid, had since “improved somewhat.”

The report on Afghanistan, which is prepared as research and reference material for US lawmakers, includes a brief description of India’s Afghan policies.

As for relations between Afghanistan and India, the report said the former had “sought close ties to India—in large part to access India’s large and rapidly growing economy—but without alarming Pakistan.”

The report points out that India saw the Afghan Taliban’s hosting of Al Qaeda during 1996-2001 as a major threat because of Al Qaeda’s association with Pakistani groups fighting in Kashmir.

The report claims that some of these groups had committed major acts of terrorism in India, including the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November 2008 and in July 2011.

While India wants to prevent Pakistan from regaining “preponderant” influence in present day Afghanistan, “it does not want to be saddled with the burden of helping secure Afghanistan” after the U.S. departure, the report adds.

In a major shift in position, India is discussing the transfer of attack helicopters to Afghanistan when Afghan National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar visits New Delhi on November 7 and 8 for meetings with his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, highly placed official said.

“Reconciliation is in our view, as the Washington statement also says, one of the best (options)”, the adviser said. The Vision 2025 of the government, he said, clearly recognised global warming and climate change as problems.

After tensions rose between Afghanistan and Pakistan in May 2013, the former president, Hamid Karzai sought military aid from India.

He visited India and showed interest in artillery, aircraft and other equipment. India however did not go through with the business as she never wanted a controversial role in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.