India may talk to ISI, Taliban

[DaRk WaVe]

Afghan reality: India may talk to ISI, Taliban​

New Delhi: The top levels of the government are debating opening talks with Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Afghan Taliban to ensure India remains relevant in Afghanistan.

CNN-IBN learns the precarious security situation in Afghanistan--highlighted by the terrorist attacks targeting Indians in Kabul on February 26--is prompting a gradual but significant rethink in New Delhi.

Sources confirm that the government is debating opening up a channel of communication with the ISI and engaging sections of the Taliban--an idea India abhorred till now.

India is also considering paring down its presence at reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Projects underway may be wrapped up quickly and there may be even a freeze on undertaking new projects.

These policy options were debated at a meeting of the National Security Council, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired on February 12.

India won't scale down Afghanistan operations
The government has been forced to think to rethink its Afghanistan policy because of cold, hard reality. Indian officials acknowledge that the political and military situation has deteriorated in Afghanistan.

President Hamid Karzai is politically weak and Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar and his men could return to power in Kabul. Security analysts perceive Western powers have lost their will to stay in Afghanistan, and there's a tremendous increase in Pakistan confidence.

The advice to engage with sections of the Taliban and start a limited and regulated dialogue with the ISI came from the Prime Minister's Office.

The advice is controversial but stems from India's need to ensure Afghanistan is not handed over on a platter to Pakistan. In line with that thinking, India is also considering helping prop up a friendly political alliance and intensively engage with Russia and Iran.

Not everyone is convinced about India’s new Afghanistan policy. “It’s not the same Afghanistan--there's no Ahmad Shah Masood. It’s not the same old Iran either. It’s also not the old Soviet Union. We now have Russia and the Central Asian States, so we need a new way. What that will be, we don't know,” says former diplomat K C Singh.

Indian officials say there may be a change of approach but India remains determined to stay relevant in Afghanistan.

Afghan reality: India may talk to ISI, Taliban

 

[Yusuf]

Hmmm, i will pretty much avoid this topic here.

 

[Justin Joseph]

I suggest India should talk with pakistani army chief and ISI head for everything. India should say look u are free to issue statements for public consumption if u want we will also help u, so that u can justify ur huge expenditure and u continue to rule and dominate pakistan. In reality all the terrorism and war cries should stop. Have Afghanistan if u want. So both countries can peaceful coexist and can progress and take care of our people.

 

[Yusuf]

Joseph, you need coffee mate.. It aint going to happen.

 

[Spring Onion]

The advice is controversial but stems from India's need to ensure Afghanistan is not handed over on a platter to Pakistan. In line with that thinking, India is also considering helping prop up a friendly political alliance and intensively engage with Russia and Iran.

Not everyone is convinced about India’s new Afghanistan policy. “It’s not the same Afghanistan--there's no Ahmad Shah Masood. It’s not the same old Iran either. It’s also not the old Soviet Union. We now have Russia and the Central Asian States, so we need a new way. What that will be, we don't know,” says former diplomat K C Singh.

Indian officials say there may be a change of approach but India remains determined to stay relevant in Afghanistan.
Afghan reality: India may talk to ISI, Taliban

Not everyone NOT, even anyone is convinced over any role for Bharat in Afghanistan.

And oh howcome Bharatiyas are now thinking that they can bluff ISI

 

[DaRk WaVe]

Not everyone NOT, even anyone is convinced over any role for Bharat in Afghanistan.

And oh howcome Bharatiyas are now thinking that they can bluff ISI

In their dreams, it shows we are in a strong position, So when is India packing its bags from Afghanistan, money & time wasted

 

[mjnaushad]

I think india is doing a great Job in Afghanistan. They should really stay. Infact i wish they should stay. Otherwise all the money spent will be lost and the hopes of Afghan people will shattered.now i have to go and clean my AK

 

[Omar1984]

ISI works for Pakistan's best interests, thats ISI's job and its not in Pakistan's best interest to have India hanging around in Afghanistan so sorry india you will not get anything out of talks with ISI or Taliban.

 

[Spring Onion]

In their dreams, it shows we are in a strong position, So when is India packing its bags from Afghanistan, money & time wasted

Bwahahha imagine the shining roads being used by Afghan Fighters with Karzai sitting in the front seat


hehehehehe.


Karzai, Afghan fighters, Amreeka, ISI bhai bhai

 

[Creder]

Thats a good news, but id rather not take anything from ibn or general india media for granted. This is exactly the kind of propaganda india needs to get its citizens riled up for fighting a war in Afghanistan if need be. But then again they might be serious but to me considering india's policies it seems more of a propaganda to create hysteria

 

[Hulk]

India will have its presence in Afghanistan now and in coming future.
Pakistan will never have similar control of Afghanistan that they had before 9/11.
USA is not leaving Afghanistan in 2011, it will just reduce the forces it added, maybe little bit more but will not leave.

The above statements will remain true for the forcible future.

 

[RobbieS]

If India gets out of Afghanistan the biggest loss would be that of the Afghan people. With the kind of public projects that India has helped out with I am sure the Afghans can do with Indian help.

Just hope all parties concerned, India, Pak, US, Af can come to an amicable solution.

 

[Creder]

India will have its presence in Afghanistan now and in coming future.
Pakistan will never have similar control of Afghanistan that they had before 9/11.
USA is not leaving Afghanistan in 2011, it will just reduce the forces it added, maybe little bit more but will not leave.

The above statements will remain true for the forcible future.

Highly unlikely, the future at this point and time is totally unpredictable. If anything everything points towards US pulling out of Afghanistan in near future, should they remain a conflict is Iran will be a likely outcome in the future, if that happens Afghanistan wont be the centre of their attention, therefore, allowing other parties to "officially" reign in once again. India's presence is not just directly related to states presence, its also how much presence they have and whats their policy regarding fighting this war. One of the probable outcomes would be to try and make a deal with the talibs to get a easy way out of Afghanistan, it cannot do so without Pakistan and Pakistan wont do so unless the requirements on their agenda are met. India's role in Afghanistan serves US no other purpose other than the money India is willing to put in. And that is the price India is paying to US to look the other way while it sponsors TTP insurgency in Pakistan, however, with that door almost closed now I dont know what is going to be India's next gameplan

 

[Omar1984]

If India gets out of Afghanistan the biggest loss would be that of the Afghan people. With the kind of public projects that India has helped out with I am sure the Afghans can do with Indian help.

Just hope all parties concerned, India, Pak, US, Af can come to an amicable solution.

India should instead help millions of indians living in utter poverty in india.

India is not U.S.A., it never was and never will be. Wake up and smell the coffee.

India is a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY with MILLIONS living BELOW the Poverty Line.

Imagine how much india would've helped its own people by spending all that money and time on its own indian people rather than Afghanistan, too bad now its all going to go to waste

 

[ajpirzada]

i do get the point of them talkin to taliban. it can be quite effective as well given that we have turned against them by arrestin their leadership. but talking to ISI! i still cant digest it. wat do they mean by that. do they expect ISI to let them have a role in afghanistan against few million dollars?