India hosts talks on Afghanistan boycotted by rival Pakistan

NEW DELHI — India connected Wednesday hosted elder information officials from Russia, Iran and 5 Central Asian countries to sermon the concern successful neighboring Afghanistan pursuing the autumn of the U.S.-backed authorities and the Taliban takeover of the country.

India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval invited information chiefs from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Afghan representatives were not invited, portion Pakistan and China declined to attend, with Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf past week calling India a “spoiler” and not a “peacemaker” successful Afghanistan.

“This is simply a clip for adjacent consultation among us,” Doval said successful opening remarks up of the meeting. He said helium hoped the deliberations volition assistance the radical of Afghanistan and heighten the region’s corporate security.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs successful a connection said the gathering volition code “the applicable information challenges and enactment the radical of Afghanistan successful promoting peace, information and stability.”

The apical information officials were expected to conscionable Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected Wednesday. The archetypal 2 editions of the gathering were hosted by Iran successful 2018 and 2019.

India’s overseas ministry officials said Pakistan’s refusal to be the gathering was “unfortunate, but not surprising” and “reflects its mindset of viewing Afghanistan arsenic its protectorate.”

The gathering underscores India’s attempts to support its strategical interests successful Afghanistan amid Pakistan’s increasing power successful the region. Archrivals India and Pakistan person some agelong tried to wield power implicit Afghanistan to conscionable their information interests.

India’s leaders fearfulness the Taliban emergence to powerfulness volition payment Pakistan and provender a long-simmering insurgency successful the disputed portion of Kashmir, wherever militants already person a foothold.

New Delhi’s relations with Afghanistan are successful suspended animation. It has has nary diplomatic beingness near successful Kabul aft it evacuated its unit up of the last U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. It did, however, clasp its archetypal authoritative gathering with a Taliban typical successful Qatar connected Aug. 31.

Before the Taliban took Kabul, India provided Afghan information forces with operational grooming and subject equipment, adjacent though it has had nary troops connected the ground. It was besides the region’s largest supplier of improvement assistance to Afghanistan.