Qammer Abbass Anka
“Friendship is everyday, not just once it is convenient to you.”
In international politics mutual relations are based on serving individual interests. States develop diplomatic ties to safeguard their vested interests and no investment is without an envisaged return. Not always, but at times, apparently visible cordial relations often mask the latent vested interests between countries.
India is known for its hegemonic and expansionist designs. Under the self assumed role of regional policeman, India with her coercive diplomacy has successfully brought almost all South Asian states such as, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka within ambit of its informal regional security system through formal treaties, agreements and accords. According to Professor Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema, “The word hegemony implies dominance by one country over the other regional countries. It is indeed not surprising to learn that the powerful countries frequently demonstrate such tendencies to impose their own policy pursuits upon the other regional countries. However one must also acknowledge that extending advice does not necessarily imply imposition or dominance. But the advice of a powerful neighbor always reflect hegemonic tendencies especially if it is an advice to prevent or obstruct another country’s legitimate trade with the target state”.
Owing to its geo-strategic location, Afghanistan has remained the focus of Indian regional policy since creation of India and Pakistan. However, its geopolitical significance and its potential to develop latent hostility towards Pakistan has overshadowed all other factors. India’s economic interests in Afghanistan are secondary to its strategic interests. India’s hegemonic and imperialistic lust towards its neighbours is the reflection of Kautiliyan philosophy that regards neighbours as enemies and an enemy’s immediate neighbour as a friend. Therefore, while exploiting the differences between Afghanistan and Pakistan over Durand line, India was able to establish cordial relations with Afghanistan in 1947. From Zahir Shah to King Dawood and Noor Muhammad Tarakai to Najeeb Ullah rule, India supported every one who ruled Kabul. However, Indian influence in Afghanistan was marginalized only in Taliban era when India was compelled to switch over to the opposing camp of Northern Alliance. Soon, India took advantage of the opportunity provided by the US operation against the Taliban government to re-establish and re-consolidate its influence in Afghanistan and in Central Asia. In this connection, Indian efforts have been to infiltrate all sectors of Afghanistan, in order to make them dependent on Indian support, thus making Afghanistan a launching pad for its double pincer envelopment against Pakistan.
Paradoxically, India and Afghanistan have hardly any common cultural, religious, historical or traditional canvass to grow friendly ties. Mahmood Ghaznvi is still deemed as a plunderer and oppressor by every Hindu and same is proliferated in India’s powerful electronic and film media. Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru once remarked about Indian relations with Afghanistan, ‘Ever since India’s independence, we have grown closer to each other, for a variety of reasons. The long memory of our past was there, and the moment it was possible to renew them, we renewed them. And then came mutual interest, (our common hostility towards Pakistan) which is a powerful factor’. A question frequently bothers scholars of international relations that what are the interests of India in Afghanistan for which she has invested colossally. Are there real affinity bonds between people of two countries or mere vested interests of political leaders? To understand the nature of people to people ties, it will be pertinent to apply famous Two Nation Theory enunciated by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Afghan-India scenario.
India realizes the fact that, being an immediate and strategically tied neighbour, Pakistan’s influence in Afghanistan will always surpass that of Indian. If both of the Muslim neighbours are allowed to work together, then there are possibilities that they may reach on agreed solutions of the problems like infiltration across porous borders, drug trafficking, Durand Line, Afghan refugees etc. India, does not want these neighbours to resolve their disputes amicably. From a geo- Strategic and geo-economic point of view India takes control over Afghanistan as the threshold to Central Asian oil and gas pipelines to be constructed to markets in Pakistan, India and else where in the world. Indian influence in Afghan politics would enable India to become a formidable part of Central Asian oil and gas distribution network thereby acquiring a strong foothold in the region and marginalizing Pakistan’s unique position in this regard. India’s posture as counterweight to China also compliments U.S. objectives of preventing Chinese or Russian influence over the independent Central Asian republics, helping these states develop alternative exit routes for their oil and gas other than through Russia or Iran. Resultantly in a bid to reinforce India’s strategic relevance in the region, the United States in turn encourages and supports Indian trade, investment, and assistance to the Central Asian states and Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s entry into SAARC and signing of Indo-Afghan free trade area should be seen in this backdrop Indian.
Strategic thought process of the Indian foreign policy revolved around the obsession that its politico-strategic boundary runs via Kandahar and Kabul. A glance over its policy maneuvers, clearly points to its imperialistic mind-set whereby she seems anxious to dominate the entire region by imposing its will. on American lines, it introduced Indra Doctrine, Rajeeve Doctrine and Gujral Doctrine to keep all her neighbours under influence of its hard and soft power and deprived them of any out side help. Under the self assumed role of regional policeman, India with her coercive diplomacy has successfully brought almost all South Asian states such as, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka within ambit of its informal regional security system through formal treaties, agreements and accords. Probably Pakistan is the only country that has refused to accept Indian hegemony and dominance. India initially trained and armed Tamil terrorists and later, in 1987, Rajiv Gandhi, sent Indian troops to Sri Lanka to suppress them.
Though Bangladesh and Maldives are apparently out of Indian security system, but for all practical purposes, both of these states are covertly dove-tailed to Indian strategic plans. India’s love towards Afghanistan is also a part of her over ambitious hegemonic and expansionist schema. Careful analysis of Indo-Afghan relations reveals that the diplomatic ties between both these countries remain restricted to personal level of ruling leadership without involvement of country’s populace. Indian selfish approach recently became evident when India totally disregarding the miseries of war torn Afghanistan, tightened visa rules for poor Afghanis on the fabricated plea of security. The new visa rules require production of bank statement and certificate of doctor stating that the patient can not be treated in Afghanistan. Such visa rules do not exist even between antagonist countries. India’s new visa policy for Afghanistan has sent a wave of anger and dismay among Afghan people. They feel betrayed and humiliated and are questioning their national leadership and Government which has virtually sold their sovereignty to India and given her free hand to strengthen proxies against Pakistan. They are comparing India’s selfish diplomacy with Pakistan who is hosting over three million Afghan refugees for the past 35 years. They are cherishing Pakistan’s overwhelming hospitality which allowed free access to refugees all over Pakistan. Pakistan treated Afghan refugees like their own nationals and extended them best medical, educational and trade opportunities even at the cost of their own sufferings Trojan horsed by these refugees. They have also raised the issue with Wolesi Jirga. Afghan people have started realizing that “It is better to have a needy friend than a greedy friend.” Recent Indian visa policy for Afghanis has amply exposed her hypocrisy towards Afghanistan.
