India to participate in a conference related to Afghanistan in Russia

Moscow: This time, India, along with Afghanistan, has been invited at a Conference organized by Russia on the subject of Afghanistan. India’s presence will be extremely crucial at this Conference which will be held on the 15^th February, likewise, India and Pakistan will face each other at the Conference. India had not been included in the previous Conference relating Afghanistan which Russia had organized.

At present the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Salahuddin Rabbani is on a visit to Russia. During the visit, he had discussions on this Afghanistan related Conference which will take place in Russia on the 15^th February. In the earlier Conference, Russia had included China and Pakistan. This had resulted in severe reactions within Afghanistan, and India too, had expressed its displeasure over it. Pakistan however, claimed the absence of India at the Conference as its political victory. In the coming years, Pakistan with the help of Russia, China and Iran, will eliminate Indian influence from Afghanistan, claimed some India-baiters strategic analysts in Pakistan.

As such, India’s participation in this Conference in Russia can be considered crucial. Iran too, along with India, will be included in this Conference, claimed Russian officials. The conflicting interests on Afghanistan of both India and Pakistan had surfaced earlier. Pakistan would want to bring Afghanistan under the dominance of Taliban. India, however had given total support to a people elected government in Afghanistan. However, in the last few months, Russia also initiated talks with Taliban. The Afghanistan Government and India had expressed their displeasure over this. However, from the Russian side it was cleared that this co-operation with Taliban would be limited only to preclude the terrorist organization ‘IS’.

The importance of this Conference in Russia, as a result seems to have increased. To maintain peace and stability in the Asian Continent it becomes a prerequisite to have peace and stability in Afghanistan, for which Russia has taken the initiative, says the Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Lavrov. However, looking at the conflicting interests between India and Pakistan regarding Afghanistan at the Conference, the opposition of Afghanistan towards terrorists’ favouring policies of Pakistan, arriving at a consensus at the Conference seems difficult.

These circumstances have increased the importance of this conference in Russia. To maintain peace and stability in the Asian continent, it is mandatory to maintain peace and stability in Afghanistan and for this Russia has taken initiative as said by Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov. However, considering the participation of India and Pakistan in this conference having conflicting interests about Afghanistan; and taking into account Afghanistan’s opposition to Pakistan’s terrorist congenial policies, it is believed difficult to reach on an agreement during this conference.