Talking to the Taliban
Hindustan TimesFor more than two years, in the backdrop of America’s plans to draw down its military presence in Afghanistan, there has been an intense debate in India’s strategic community about the utility of engaging some elements of the Afghan Taliban. Engagement could well have triggered questions about the government’s anti-Pakistan, anti-terror hardline security stance and its unwillingness to engage with Kashmir’s local formations when it was willing to talk to Taliban. As this newspaper reported, New Delhi has begun reaching out to Afghan Taliban factions and leaders, especially those who are outside Pakistan’s sphere of influence. It represents an opportunity for India to make it clear, directly to Taliban, that the gains of the past two decades cannot be squandered away, and convey its core security redlines.