Indian Factor in Pakistan's Policy Towards Afghanistan

Abstract

Pakistani decision-makers’ attitudes and policies concerning Afghanistan have historically been conditioned by apprehensions about Indian hostility towards Pakistan and the development of close relations between India and Afghanistan. The removal of the Taliban regime after 9/11 deprived Islamabad of a pro-Pakistan regime in Afghanistan. Moreover, the emergence of an anti-Pakistan government and the increasing involvement of India in Afghanistan added to Pakistan’s insecurities, and Islamabad felt encircled from both eastern and western fronts. Pakistan was thus reluctant to fight against the Afghan Taliban. In recent times, US intentions to pull out of Afghanistan and its willingness to initiate dialogue with the Afghan Taliban provided an opportunity to Pakistan to secure a political set-up with the inclusion of the Afghan Taliban to protect its security interests while minimizing the Indian influence in Afghanistan. Therefore, Pakistan has recently played a very important role in facilitating the dialogue process between the United States and the Afghan Taliban aimed at bringing peace in the country.