International developments on the issue of Afghanistan gain momentum

New Delhi – When the Afghan army and the Taliban are engaged in a fierce battle, major developments are taking place in international politics on this issue. Afghanistan has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in response to the Taliban’s escalation of violence and atrocities. India that chairs the Security Council agreed to the demand and convened the meeting on Friday. On August 11, Russia has hosted a meeting on Afghanistan in Qatar. It has invited the United States, China and Pakistan. The neglect of India by an ally like Russia becomes a major issue.

Pakistan’s inclusion in the discussions regarding Afghanistan in the ‘Extended Troika’, meaning the talks between Russia, the United States and China, becomes significant. Over the past few months, Russia has sought to gain control of the situation in Afghanistan by establishing ties with Pakistan and the Taliban. By doing so, Russia has indicated that its interests in Afghanistan are going against India. On the Afghanistan issue, Russia and China’s co-operation with Pakistan is a matter of concern to India. The Taliban is preparing to take the country back several centuries by launching a series of atrocities in Afghanistan. In such a scenario, the politics of countries like Russia and China to counter the United States through Pakistan could lead to severe instability in South Asia. India may also have to bear the brunt.

Tirumurthy, Indian ambassador to the United Nations, had recently warned that developments in Afghanistan could seriously impact Indian security. That is why India is showing more sensitivity to this question. The convening of an emergency meeting of the Security Council is part of the same Indian efforts. This could shake up countries trying to side with the Taliban and jolt the democratically elected government in Afghanistan. But the likelihood of democratic countries responding to Indian efforts is equally high.

Meanwhile, claims are being made on social media that India is preparing to come up with some proposals to prevent the country from falling into the hands of a brutal terrorist organization, like the Taliban, after the US military withdrawal. A proposal to end the bloody conflict by deploying UN peacekeepers in Afghanistan could be tabled at the Security Council meeting. This will at least protect the people in the provinces and cities under the control of the Afghan government. This will ensure the safety of children and women here, which is the rationale behind the proposal.

Opposing the proposal could be difficult for China and Russia. However, if these countries oppose the proposal, they could face the accusation of undermining efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. Neither India nor any other country has officially commented on the proposal. But given the dire situation in Afghanistan, the Afghan government has called on the United Nations and the international community to play a more effective role.