In Kabul, India takes a soft step
Hindustan TimesWhen Kabul fell to the rampaging Taliban force last year, India faced a difficult choice. Still, in the aftermath of an earthquake in Afghanistan earlier this year, India quietly moved to establish a small diplomatic presence in the restive country while continuing to help its citizens with humanitarian efforts. As the report indicated, India’s presence in Afghanistan remains a sensitive issue, with a majority of the “technical team” deployed in Kabul being security personnel sent in to guard middle-ranking diplomats who are largely focused on ways to help the Afghan people grappling with humanitarian and economic crises. There continue to be considerable risks — including security threats, notwithstanding Talibani assurances of strict action against anti-India attacks — and problems of rampant human rights violations, misogyny and gender violence, uneven political control and a fluid security situation. India returned to Kabul only after a comprehensive assessment of security threats because having a presence on Afghan soil allows Delhi to better track developments.