Rokan's Journal

Brigadier General (Retd.) HRM Rokan Uddin, psc

South Asia’s geopolitics now face a new reality. After years of war and foreign intervention, Afghanistan stands at a delicate stage of national reconstruction. In this situation, India has extended its hand of diplomacy and development cooperation—appearing as a generous friend. Yet history, geography, and India’s strategic behavior suggest that this friendship is far from purely humanitarian; it is part of a long-term design aimed at encircling Pakistan and expanding Indian influence across South Asia. After the fall of the Taliban government in 2001, India moved swiftly into Afghanistan. Through infrastructure development, assistance in education and health sectors, and the strengthening of cultural ties, India steadily expanded its influence. The Afghan Parliament building, the Salma Dam (renamed the “Afghan–India Friendship Dam”), and the Zaranj–Delaram Highway all stand as examples of India’s “soft power” diplomacy. But behind these projects lay other motives, not merely humanitarian or cooperative. India’s real goal was to turn Afghanistan into a strategic outpost from where it could closely monitor Pakistan’s internal politics, military activities, and border security dynamics. This presence offered India not only diplomatic advantage but also a vital intelligence foothold. Afghanistan’s rugged border terrain and its fragile political structure created the ideal conditions for India to conduct psychological, diplomatic, and security operations aimed at Pakistan.

India’s intelligence agency, RAW, has long been active in Afghanistan. According to numerous international observers, it has used so-called cultural centers, NGOs, and commercial offices in Kabul, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Mazar-i-Sharif as covers for intelligence operations. The agency’s primary objective has been to build links with anti-Pakistan groups, offer them financial and political support, and stir instability along the border regions. India’s contacts with separatist movements in Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are well-documented, and Afghanistan’s territory has made such connections easier posing a serious security threat to Pakistan. In addition, Afghanistan provides India with an important geo-economic opportunity. For decades, India has sought access to Central Asia’s gas, oil, and mineral wealth. Yet Pakistan’s geographic barrier has long obstructed this route. Through Afghanistan, India envisions a potential gateway to Central Asia’s resources, which would greatly strengthen its economic and political clout. Thus, India’s interest in Afghanistan is not driven by goodwill or humanitarian aid; it is, in essence, a long-term strategic investment designed to pressure Pakistan, extend Indian influence toward Central Asia, and assert dominance in South Asia.

India’s relationship with Muslim countries has always been marked by duplicity. While it speaks of cooperation with the Islamic world, India has simultaneously forged deep military and intelligence ties with Israel. Today, Israel is one of India’s closest defense partners. From surveillance technology and drones to missile defense and counterterrorism operations, Israeli influence runs deep within India’s security apparatus. This reality carries serious implications for a Muslim-majority country like Afghanistan. India, as a close ally of Israel, cannot be a genuine friend to the Muslim world. Afghanistan must therefore recognize the strategic intent behind India’s approach. Behind India’s charm offensive lies a policy of regional dominance and a deliberate attempt to divide and weaken Muslim nations.

The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan has faced strains throughout history—over the Durand Line, border management, and refugee issues. Yet despite political tensions, the people of both nations share the same culture, faith, language, and tribal heritage. Religiously they are brothers; historically they have cooperated; and in reality, they depend on one another. India has repeatedly sought to undermine this bond. Whenever instability rises along Pakistan’s western border, India benefits, as Pakistan then faces pressure on two fronts—Kashmir in the east and Afghanistan in the west. Thus, India’s “Afghan friendship” is, in truth, a strategy to keep Pakistan constantly preoccupied. Pakistan, on the other hand, has repeatedly extended shelter and support to the Afghan people. From the Soviet invasion to the most recent crises, Pakistan has hosted more than three million Afghan refugees, providing them with food, education, and livelihoods—assistance far greater in scale and sincerity than any of India’s projects. In essence, the India–Afghanistan relationship is not one of equal partnership or trust—it is a carefully calculated alliance cloaked in the language of friendship. Afghanistan must recognize this dynamic and chart its foreign policy accordingly, guided by prudence, faith, and solidarity with its true allies in the Muslim world.

The Right Path for Afghanistan

After the rise of the Taliban government, Afghanistan has entered a new era where rebuilding the state and gaining international recognition are equally challenging tasks. At this stage, strategic caution in managing relations with India is essential. Limited trade or infrastructural cooperation with India may benefit Afghanistan’s economy, but engaging in military collaboration or intelligence-sharing would bring disastrous consequences for the country’s sovereignty and security. History has proven that India has never been a true friend to any Muslim nation; its policies have always been guided by self-interest and a desire for regional dominance.

Afghanistan must therefore adopt a multi-dimensional foreign policy that maintains balance in international diplomacy while strengthening fraternal ties with other Muslim nations. Close cooperation with Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Qatar will not only symbolize Islamic unity but also ensure real security and economic stability. The experience, markets, and political support of these countries can help Afghanistan secure a stronger position in the international arena. Overreliance on a non-Muslim power like India would, on one hand, alienate Afghanistan from the trust of the Muslim world and, on the other, create internal divisions and mistrust. Thus, with diplomatic wisdom and self-respect, Afghanistan should choose a path that prioritizes its independence, Islamic values, and national interests above all.

Pakistan’s Responsibility and Diplomatic Maturity

Pakistan, for its part, must approach Afghanistan with greater empathy and restraint. Many members of the Afghan government are new and inexperienced in governance; they need patience and guidance. If Pakistan assumes a leadership role in this regard, it will not only yield strategic benefits but also fulfill its religious and cultural responsibilities. Joint security mechanisms, border management, trade cooperation, and cultural exchange should be prioritized. Afghanistan and Pakistan are not adversaries; rather, they can be each other’s strength.

Conclusion

True security can only be achieved through Muslim unity. It is time to recognize the political calculations hidden behind India’s so-called friendship with Afghanistan. Afghanistan must now decide whether it wishes to become a pawn in India’s strategic game or preserve its honorable independence as part of the Muslim world. At the same time, Pakistan must realize that a weak Afghanistan poses a threat to its own security, while a strong and friendly Afghanistan serves as its first line of defense. In the long run, the unity, mutual trust, and strategic cooperation among Muslim nations will remain the only foundation for lasting peace and stability in South Asia. India’s politics of provocation and manipulation can never build lasting friendship—it only fuels division and mistrust. Now is the time for Afghanistan and Pakistan to look beyond their past differences, rebuild the bonds of brotherhood, and set a new example of Muslim unity for the world.