Strategic equations in South Asia are undergoing a rapid transformation; India is, in this context, one of the key players.

On October 7, in a joint statement following the conclusion of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, among other 10 countries India, China and Russia, three big powers opposed Washington’s demand for the return of the Bagram Air Base from the Taliban government.

The airbase that was the centre of the American military campaign against the Taliban movement for two decades is one of the few airbases in a country that has a rocky, rugged terrain. Further, Bagram is also the largest airbase in Afghanistan and was home to some of the cutting edge military platforms used by the Americans during their invasion years.

With that said, it becomes essential to understand India’s motivation in reaching out to the Taliban despite the latter’s global isolation.

Opposing Imperialism

For a long time, India had been a victim of European colonialism. First came the Portuguese, and then came the Dutch, French, and English etc. Among the European powers, the British managed to outwit and defeat all its rivals and from 1757 onwards emerged as the........

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