India Participates in UN’s Doha Conference on Afghanistan with Taliban Presence

NEW DELHI: India is one of the 25 countries taking part in the third UN-led conference on Afghanistan, which began on Sunday in Doha. The conference aims to find ways to improve the lives of Afghan people under Taliban rule. This meeting is notable because it is the first time the Taliban are attending the talks. However, the UN has clarified that these discussions are not intended to lead to international recognition of the Taliban.

The conference has faced strong criticism from rights groups for not including Afghan women and civil society members. Representing India at the meeting is J P Singh, the MEA joint secretary of the Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran (PAI) division. Singh, who visited Kabul in March this year, also met with Taliban leaders in Doha.

India is being cautious in its dealings with the Taliban. While it works closely with them to address Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs and its own security concerns, it avoids any actions that might be seen as steps toward officially recognizing the Taliban regime in Kabul.

The Doha conference also includes participation from the EU, OIC, and SCO. The SCO, an Eurasian bloc, will be hosting its summit this week in Astana, where Afghanistan will again be a key focus. Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not attending in person, he may address the summit virtually on July 4. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the SCO summit.

In both Doha and Astana, the Indian government will emphasize that, as a neighboring country, India has legitimate economic and security interests in Afghanistan. The international community must focus on combating terrorism, providing humanitarian aid, forming an inclusive government, and preserving the rights of women, girls, and minorities. The focus on girls and women is crucial as the Taliban continue to deny them access to education, based on their interpretation of Islamic laws.

Securing its investments in Afghanistan is also a priority for India, which is working on nearly 500 projects across all 34 provinces in areas such as power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, and agriculture. India has invested over $3 billion in Afghanistan.

Ensuring that Afghan territory is not used to harbor terrorists or finance terrorist activities is at the top of India’s priorities. This is especially important concerning terrorists banned by the UN Security Council, including those from Pakistan-based groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. India will reiterate that any instability in Afghanistan poses a threat to the entire region.