India holds talks on Afghanistan, but has not invited any Afghan officials Taliban News

Pakistan’s India and China also refused to attend the Afghanistan Regional Security Dialogue in Delhi.

India is taking on top security officials from Russia, Iran and five Central Asian countries to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, but no Afghan representatives have attended.

Pakistan’s Pakistan and China also refused to attend the Afghanistan Regional Security Dialogue on Wednesday since the fall of the US-backed government and the Taliban’s takeover of the country.

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval invited security chiefs from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the talks.

“It’s time for close consultations between us,” Doval said in his opening remarks before the meeting. He said he hopes these talks will help the people of Afghanistan and improve the collective security of the region.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India (MEA) said in a statement that the meeting will focus on “relevant security challenges” and help the people of Afghanistan to promote peace, security and stability.

Chief security officials were expected to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The first two editions of the meeting were organized by Iran in 2018 and 2019.

Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf last week called India a “spoiler” and not a “peacemaker” in Afghanistan.

Indian MEA officials said Pakistan’s refusal to attend the meeting was “unfortunate, but not surprising” and “reflects the thinking of seeing Afghanistan as its protectorate”.

The meeting underscores India’s efforts to protect its strategic interests in Afghanistan amid Pakistan’s growing influence in the region. Archrivals India and Pakistan have long tried to use the influence of Afghanistan to satisfy their security interests.

Indian leaders fear that the rise of the Taliban to power will benefit Pakistan and fuel a long-standing Kashmir insurgency administered by India.

New Delhi’s relations with Afghanistan are interrupted by animation. There is no diplomatic presence left in Kabul after the evacuation of its workers before the US withdraws permanently from Afghanistan.

However, on August 31, he held his first official meeting with a Qatari Taliban representative.

Before the Taliban took over Kabul, India provided operational training and military equipment to Afghan security forces, even though there were no troops on the ground. It was also the largest provider of regional development aid to Afghanistan.