Previous blogs on this issue

i         Afghanistan – US Pull Out – No Good Options dt 2/5/2019

ii        Afghan Deal all but done dt 5/9/2019

iii      Afghan Peace Talks – Expectations, its key players and Prospects for India dt 13/9/2020;

iv      As US Rolls the Dice India Replaces Russia 10 Mar 21

USA and the Taliban have held 10 rounds of talks in Doha for safe evacuation of American troops and to create a framework of talks between the Talibans and Afghanistan government for peace in Afghanistan. There have been two main points on agenda for discussion, i.e. a permanent and comprehensive cease fire and to reach an agreement over the future political roadmap of Afghanistan. The deal entails the withdrawal of US and its NATO allies on the commitment that the Taliban will not allow any extremist group to operate in the areas they controlled. However, the Taliban did not stop violence against Afghan forces and have been slowly increasing their control over various provinces of Afghanistan.

UN Sponsored Turkish Offer for peace talks

Turkey had offered to host peace UN sponsored talks for Afghanistan. The foreign ministers of Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan called on the Afghan Taliban to reaffirm its commitment to achieving a negotiated settlement for lasting peace in Afghanistan. However the U.S. backed Afghan peace conference to be hosted in Istanbul hosted by Turkey, Qatar and the United Nations was postponed over the Taliban’s non-participation.

The Taliban have been refusing to attend any summits until all foreign forces were pulled out of Afghanistan. The Taliban and the United States last year agreed that all foreign forces would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by May 1, a date that was pushed back to September 21 by U.S. President Joe Biden.

New surge of violence against Afghan troops

With the new surge in violence in Afghanistan, the country’s forces are facing an unprecedented level of combat in the absence of foreign troops to bolster their strength. It is estimated that the Taliban controls about a third of the country. As the Talibans increase their pressure, a lot of ANA troops have been handing over arms and fleeing to Tajakistan and other neighbouring countries including Pakistan. In all, nearly 1,600 soldiers are believed to have crossed the border. Taliban have said to have captured more than 100 districts in Afghanistan, while the insurgents claim to hold more than 200 districts in 34 provinces. Main cities and provincial capitals remain under the control of government forces.

Indian Response so far

India’s foreign minister Dr Jaishankar stopped over in Tehran, which coincided with a meeting in Tehran between an Afghan government delegation and Taliban representatives that was arranged by the Iranian government. This was the first formal contact between the two sides since talks in Qatar stalled several months ago. The Indian and Iranian sides exchanged views on regional and global issues during Jaishankar’s technical halt in Tehran and also discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan and expressed concerns over the deteriorating security there. Amid the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan with the Taliban capturing new territories, India is likely to bring back its nationals and officials from the war-torn country. Two Indian consulates in Herat and Jalalabad had ceased operations earlier there.