India’s recent outreach to the Taliban represents a pragmatic recalibration of its long-standing Afghanistan policy — one shaped as much by evolving regional dynamics as by India’s own strategic imperatives.

With the United States having largely disengaged from Afghanistan, China consolidating its economic and geopolitical presence through the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and Pakistan continuing to exercise deep-rooted influence in Kabul, New Delhi’s renewed diplomatic engagement is designed to preserve strategic space and ensure regional balance. The move also reflects India’s broader goal of maintaining equilibrium in the Pasni–Gwadar–Chabahar maritime triangle — a zone of growing competition between regional and global powers.

India’s invitation to Afghanistan’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, marks a significant departure from two decades of its consensus policy. Since the US led intervention in 2001 that ousted the Taliban, India had refused to engage with the group, aligning itself with the international community’s decision to isolate them. This era of non-engagement persisted even as India became one of Afghanistan’s largest regional donors, focusing on infrastructure, education, and institution-building. 

The Taliban’s return to power in 2021, following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, compelled a reassessment in New Delhi. While many Western nations evacuated their missions and adopted a “Wait and Watch” approach, India has quietly shifted toward a more nuanced policy. The Taliban foreign minister’s visit to India, the first of its kind since the group’s return and India’s decision to reopen its embassy in Kabul are clear signals of this evolving engagement. Interestingly, the overture has also intersected with domestic currents: the theological seminary of Deoband, which shares intellectual lineage with aspects of Taliban ideology, has symbolically welcomed dialogue adding an internal ideological dimension to India’s external outreach.

Balancing the China-Pakistan Axis. At the heart of India’s renewed Afghanistan policy lies a strategic calculation aimed at balancing the expanding China-Pakistan axis. For decades, Pakistan has enjoyed disproportionate influence in Kabul, leveraging its ethnic, religious, and geographic proximity as well as its intelligence links with various Afghan factions. By opening direct communication channels with the Taliban, India seeks to dilute Pakistan’s monopoly and reinsert itself into the Afghan political equation. This subtle yet significant move complicates Pakistan’s long-standing position as the principal interlocutor between Afghanistan and the wider world.

Equally important is the China factor. Beijing has moved rapidly to court the Taliban regime, offering investment in........

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