News Analysis India

Tag: Afghanistan Crisis

  • BRICS to stem Afghanistan terror export laid in joint declaration

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Countering terror, particularly in the context of the Afghanistan upheaval, dominated discussions on Thursday at the five-nation BRICS virtual summit chaired by India, with all heads of state collectively agreeing to combat the export of terror and cooperate to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

    “We call for refraining from violence and settling the situation by peaceful means. We stress the need to contribute to fostering an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue so as to ensure stability, civil peace, law and order in the country. We underscore the priority of fighting terrorism, including preventing attempts by terrorist organisations to use Afghan territory as terrorist sanctuary and to carry out attacks against other countries, as well as drug trade within Afghanistan. We emphasise the need to address the humanitarian situation and to uphold human rights, including those of women, children and minorities,” a joint declaration adopted at the end of the summit, called the New Delhi Declaration, stated.

    Secretary (CPV) in the ministry of external affairs, Sanjay Bhattacharya, said there was strong consensus on condemning terrorism, including cross-border terror, terror financing and the springing up of radical organisations.

    Bhattacharya said many agreements, including the one calling for reforms of multilateral organisations, remote sensing satellite constellation, agriculture reforms and cooperation and some others related to the New Development Bank (NDB) were finalised or endorsed during the summit attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

    In his opening address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS has adopted a counter-terrorism action plan that was drawn up by national security advisors of the member states. Putin said the situation in Afghanistan must not become a threat to its neighbours. “Russia, just like its BRICS partners, consistently supports the establishment of the long-awaited peace and stability in Afghanistan.” 

    Reject double standards“We reject double standards in countering terrorism and extremism conducive to terrorism. We call for expeditious finalisation and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the UN framework,” the BRICS joint declaration said

  • Uncertainty has spread everywhere; current developments in Afghan one such example: Rajnath

    By PTI

    JAISALMER: Uncertainty has spread in everywhere in the world and the current developments in Afghanistan is one such example, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.

    “Whether it is South China Sea, Indian Ocean region, Indo-Pacific region or Central Asia, we can see uncertainty everywhere. The current developments in Afghanistan is one such example,” he said at an event here where medium range surface-to-air missile MRSAM was inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

    The global scenario is changing very quickly and in an unexpected way, he stated.

    ​ALSO READ | Indian Air Force’s first Emergency Landing Field on National Highway inaugurated in Rajasthan

    “Amid this changing global scenario, the equations between the nations are also changing quickly as per their interests,” Singh said.

    He also said that the changing geopolitics is affecting trade, economy, as well as the current security scenario.

    “In such a situation, the strength of our security and our self-reliance is not an achievement, but a necessity,” he noted.

    ALSO READ | Rajnath Singh approves increase in financial powers of armed forces for revenue procurement

    The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in mid-August, ousting the previous elected leadership which was backed by the West.

    An interim Cabinet was formed comprising high-profile members of the insurgent group.

    In his speech, Singh also said that from being tagged as number one defence importer in the world, India today is supplying defence systems and sub-systems to foreign countries and it is something worth to be proud of.

    “We are taking all such measures that will help our defence sector to stand on its legs,” he said.

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  • Taliban take over: Afghanistan crisis hits Ludhiana’s sewing machine industry

    By ANI

    LUDHIANA: The sewing machine industry in Ludhiana is fearing heavy losses due to the ongoing Afghanistan crisis and regime change.

    While speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Jagjit Singh Sokhi, the president of Sewing Machines Industries, Ludhiana, expressed fears of impending losses due to the Afghanistan crisis.

    He said that every year, 1.5 lakh sewing machines, 5-6 lakhs spare parts were sent to Afghanistan and Rs. 150-200 crores were earned annually from the business. But now, the industry was set to lose out due to the change in regime.

    “The Afghanistan crisis is a huge blow to us, especially after Covid. Afghanistan takes a lot of our machines, they are supplied in bulk to Afghanistan. We expect a 40 per cent downfall in our trade. This is done either through Pakistan, Dubai or directly to Afghanistan. The crisis in Afghanistan has further hit the industry,” Sokhi said.

    He pointed out that the sewing machine industry started in Ludhiana in 1942.

    “Machines produced here are famous for their quality. Besides being sold domestically, they are exported to the Middle East, several Islamic countries too because embroidery is really popular in these countries. There are 6000 units, both big and small in Ludhiana and the turnover is around Rs. 1200-1500 crores,” he said.

    Samandeep Singh, another industrialist said, “Our family has been in this industry for the past 50 years. 70 per cent of our exports go to Afghanistan. But this power crisis has impacted our business. Exports have stopped for the past two months. Our existing orders, payments have stopped. Production has been reduced by 50 per cent. Future does not look good.”

    “It is a labour-oriented job. We will have to stop our work. Labour will be unemployed. Government must think about this,” Samandeep said.

  • India has no option but to wait and watch, avoid knee-jerk reaction: Ex-diplomats on Afghanistan

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: With Pakistan’s intelligence chief dashing to Afghanistan amidst efforts by the Taliban to finalise a government, former Indian diplomats on Sunday said the situation in the war-torn country was still in a “flux” and India has no other option but to wait and watch, while avoiding any “knee-jerk reaction”.

    Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed rushed to Kabul on an unannounced visit.

    Hameed’s visit to Afghanistan comes as pressure is mounting on the Taliban to form an inclusive government acceptable to the international community.

    Anil Wadhwa, who served as Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs before retiring in 2017, said India should avoid any knee-jerk reaction to the developments in Afghanistan and follow a wait and watch policy.

    “India should avoid a knee-jerk reaction because it remains to be seen what kind of government is formed by the Taliban, whether it is an inclusive government or not.

    No knee jerk reaction (India should), just wait and see how the situation emerges,” Wadhwa told PTI.

    On the ISI chief’s visit to Kabul, he said the influence of the ISI on the Taliban, especially the Haqqanis, is well known and so they would like to have that influence in the new government.

    Asked if India should spell out its expectations from the new government, Wadhwa said this needs to be conveyed whenever there is an engagement with the Taliban representatives in Doha.

    He added that India, in all likelihood, has already conveyed to the Talibani side that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-India activities.

    T C A Raghavan, who was India’s High Commissioner to Pakistan from June 2013-December 2015, also echoed similar views and said the situation in Afghanistan was still in a flux and India should adopt a wait and watch approach.

    “In my view the situation in Afghanistan is still in a flux, so we should not end up in a situation where we are commenting on our own analysis.

    Because the Pakistan ISI chief is there, it is easy to start commenting on our own impression that he is forming the government,” he told PTI.

    “Situation (in Afghanistan) is in a flux and we should await developments. The fact that Pakistanis have a certain position in Afghanistan today is undeniable,” Raghavan said.

    Asked if India should spell out its expectations of a government in Afghanistan and set out its preconditions for recognising the regime there, he said, “I don’t think we are at a stage where we make our objectives into preconditions.”

    Rakesh Sood, a former Ambassador of India to Afghanistan, said, “I think we have no choice but to wait and watch. I don’t think we have any other option.”

    “The situation may be in a flux but I don’t think India is that significant. If the DG ISI has to go there to sort out matters, it is quite clear as to what the situation is. He has not gone there to exchange views about the weather,” Sood said.

    G Parthasarathy, who has been India’s envoy in several countries including Pakistan, said India should not rush into anything and avoid any knee-jerk reaction to the developments in Afghanistan.

    “Having dealt with Pakistan and lived there for seven years, I would have been surprised if the Pakistanis did not do what they were doing. It is only sections of Indians that are taken for a ride about Pakistan,” he said in reference to the ISI chief’s visit.

    Cautioning against the China-Pakistan alliance, Parthasarathy said, “We will go wrong as long as we underestimate the dangers posed by the China-Pakistan alliance. Pakistan by itself is no threat, it becomes problematic when it acts in alliance with China.”

    On what should be India’s approach, the former diplomat told PTI that India should not rush into anything, take time and see the direction in which things are moving as Afghanistan’s internal politics will shape the developments.

    “There are groups like the Haqqani network which are agents of the ISI because the Haqqani family lives in Pakistan. Let us see how it plays out. No need for us to rush into anything. The sensible Afghans have told us that they appreciate Indian assistance,” he said, adding that India has done the right thing till now.

    K C Singh, who has served as India’s envoy to the UAE and Iran, said the fact that the formation of the Taliban government has been delayed indicates a struggle between the more moderate elements led by Mullah Barader and the Haqqanis fronting for Pakistan and its army.

    “Most countries are waiting and watching but also exerting pressure on the Taliban. India should take up a public position on what kind of inclusive government it expects, pending which it would not recognise the Taliban government,” he told PTI.

    ISI DG Hameed’s visit to Afghanistan is the first high-level visit of any Pakistani official to Afghanistan since the Taliban took over of Kabul on August 15.

    Since then, the Taliban have been trying to form a government but so far have held back the announcement.

    The Taliban had postponed the formation of a new government in Afghanistan for this week, as the insurgent group struggles to give shape to a broad-based and inclusive administration acceptable to the international community.

  • High-level group, including EAM Jaishankar monitoring developments in Afghanistan: Sources

    Official sources said on Tuesday that the group has been meeting regularly over the last few days following a direction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  • Afghan situation raises new security questions: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The current happenings in Afghanistan have raised new security questions, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday, asserting the Central government is alert and capable of dealing with any situation.

    He also said that no anti-national force should be allowed to encourage terrorism from across the border by taking advantage of the developments in Afghanistan. He was addressing the third Balramji Dass Tandon memorial lecture organised by Panjab University on the issue of national security.

    “What is happening in neighbouring Afghanistan is raising new questions in terms of security and our government is keeping a watch on the developments there,” said Singh in his address delivered through video conferencing.

    Along with the security of Indians, Singh said, “Our government also wants that anti-national forces do not encourage terrorism from across the border by taking advantage of the development there. We have some more concerns which can become challenges from the point of view of national security.”

    Singh said the Modi-led government at the Centre is alert and capable of dealing with any situation. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15, capturing all major cities in a matter of days, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a vexatious two-decade war.

  • Nothing to worry about fallout of Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in Kashmir: Army

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The Army on Sunday said the security situation in the Kashmir valley is under control and there is nothing to worry about the fallout of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

    The General Officer Commanding of the Army’s 15 Corps, also known as the Chinar Corps, Lieutenant General D P Pandey, said this to reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

    “This is a playground and I do not want to comment about the outsiders. But remember, the security situation here is in our control and there is nothing to worry about it,” he said, replying to a question on the challenges for the security establishment in Kashmir in the wake of Afghanistan’s takeover by the Taliban.

    ​ALSO READ | ‘Felt like won’t be returning home’: UP man recalls tense moments before evacuation from Kabul airport

    The GOC was the chief guest at the final match of the Kashmir Premier League cricket tournament, which was played at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium.

    Lt Gen. Pandey appealed to the youngsters in the valley to focus on sports and hoped that Kashmir will produce an Olympic gold medallist like Neeraj Chopra in the future.

    “Today, National Sports Day is being celebrated and there could not have been a great day for this final than today. I take this opportunity to appeal to the youth to focus on every sport and not cricket so that god willing, a Neeraj Chopra comes to the fore from here,” he said.

    The Army officer said sports teaches discipline and the youngsters of Jammu and Kashmir, who have a lot of talent, should use it to earn a name for themselves.

    He asked them to learn from the success story of former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan, who was also present on the occasion.

    “Like you and me, he (Pathan) rose from a small village and reached here with his hard work. I am sure all of you will learn from him and move forward to become good citizens, good sportsmen with full discipline and earn a name for the country,” he said.

    Speaking to reporters, Pathan said there is a lot of talent in Jammu and Kashmir.

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    “I learnt that from Irfan (Pathan, Yusuf’s brother who was roped in by the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association as a player-cum-mentor for the cricket team of the Union Territory). Two to three boys were selected and played in the IPL as well. This is a good sign that there is talent is here. The way the Army has organised the tournament, which has been played by 200 teams, it is worth appreciation and it will encourage the talent,” he said.

    Pathan said the Army is working hard to encourage youngsters and its efforts will bear fruits.

    “People here are working to take cricket forward. Everyone wants IPL matches, national and international games to be played here. Obviously, it will happen once the infrastructure is there,” he said.

  • Most Indians who wanted to leave Afghanistan have returned, informs Centre

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  India on Friday said that it is unaware of the exact number of citizens still stranded in Afghanistan, but most of those who wanted to return have been evacuated from the war-torn country.

    “The numbers keep changing. Our overall assessment is that the vast majority of Indians who wish to return have been evacuated. Some more are likely to be in Afghanistan. I don’t have the exact number for that,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He added that New Delhi is carefully monitoring the evolving situation.

    Elaborating on the evacuation efforts, Bagchi said India has so far evacuated over 550 people in six flights directly from Kabul or via Dushanbe since the Taliban took over the reins in Afghanistan. Of the total number of evacuees, around 260 are Indians, while the rest are Afghans and nationals of other countries.Saying that India was in touch with various countries like the US, Iran, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson added that Uzbekistan and Iran’s air space was opened up for India for evacuation sorties. “Of the evacuees, many of them were Sikhs and Hindus. Primarily, our focus will be on Indian nationals, but we will also stand by Afghans who have stood by us,” he added.

    On the Afghan evacuees, Bagchi said they have not been granted refugee status but given e-visa for a tenure of six months. “The situation is evolving. We will take a call depending upon the situation after six months regarding the status of the visa,” the MEA spokesperson mentioned. He added that discussions are on with regard to the fate of the visas of those Afghans who were already in India before the evacuation process began.

  • India to be part of all G7 talks on Afghanistan

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The G7 leaders, who met to discuss the situation in Afghanistan on Tuesday, have decided that India would be included in further discussions on the war-torn country. According to sources, the decision to include India in future discussions was taken keeping in mind India’s interests in the region. India has economic interests worth around $3 billion in Afghanistan.

    It is learnt that the decision to include India in further negotiations by the G7 was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a 45-minute conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders agreed to establish a permanent channel to deal with the situation in Afghanistan.

    Meanwhile, sources said India is ready to engage with anyone who has its national interests in mind. Without naming the Taliban, sources added that New Delhi was ready to protect its interests in Afghanistan by engaging with entities who are ready to secure their economic and security interests in the war-torn country.

    Earlier also, India had hinted that it was engaging with the Taliban. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, when asked about India holding talks with the group, had said it was a fact that the militant group and its representatives had taken control of Afghanistan. “It is time to take it forward from here,” he added.

    External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in response to a question and without denying the engagement with the Taliban, had stated India was in touch with all stakeholders in Afghanistan.

    Meanwhile, there were unconfirmed reports that some of the evacuees from Afghanistan, who landed in the capital on Tuesday, have tested positive for coronavirus. They are said to be asymptomatic and are in quarantine. Some of theose who tested positive, had come in contact with Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and V Muraleedharan at the airport.

  • Anticipated Taliban takeover of Afghanistan but timelines surprised us: CDS Gen Bipin Rawat

    General Rawat said New Delhi was concerned about the possibility of terrorist activities from Afghanistan impacting India and contingency plans were put into place to deal with such a challenge.