Daily US Times: The Taliban’s victory Afghanistan has stunned diplomacy and security experts around the world. Days after the fall of Kabul, countries are hurriedly evacuating their citizens and diplomats, leaving behind two decades of investments and work.
The Taliban’s victory is likely to cause a significant shift in South Asia’s geopolitics, and it could be particularly testing for India, given the country’s historically tense relations and border disputes with China and Pakistan – both are expected to play a crucial role in the future of Afghanistan.
Pakistan shares a porous border with Afghanistan and Islamabad has long been an active player in Kabul’s affairs. Now China is showing an interest to play a bigger role in Afghanistan. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s meeting with senior Taliban leaders last month shows China does not want to be a silent player anymore.
Gautam Mukhopadhaya, India’s former ambassador to Syria and Afghanistan, said: This potential geopolitical realignments could “change things upside down.”
Afghanistan was a loose alliance between the democratic government in Kabul, the Western countries and other democracies like India. But the world is likely to see China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan coming together to play the next chapter of the Great Game.
Some in India see this as a loss for India and a big win for Pakistan. But Jitendra Nath Misra, former Indian diplomat, said that was too simplistic a view, because the Pahstun-led Taliban has never recognised the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, creating discomfort for Islamabad.
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