In formulating its policies on Afghanistan, India has worked in close collaboration with Afghanistan’s Central Asian neighbours – Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan – with whom it has excellent relations. As former Republics of the Soviet Union, these countries also enjoy Russian support and security guarantees, and they also have historically friendly relations with neighbouring Iran. India and Russia, in turn, have a history of working together with the Central Asian Republics in dealing with the Taliban, even before the US invaded Afghanistan, following the 9/11 attacks. Russia and Iran, therefore, readily accepted an Indian invitation to their National Security Advisers to join the National Security Advisers of the Central Asian Republics for a conference in New Delhi on developments in Afghanistan.

The Conference in New Delhi was focused on working outa strategy to get the Taliban to form a more inclusive government. There is now a consensus that ethnic minorities and women should enjoy basic human rights and appropriate representation in national life. Yet the Taliban recently crushed attempts by the Tajiks, who constitute 35 per cent of the people of Afghanistan, to seek a modicum of autonomy. Equally blatant has been the Taliban’s suppression of the country’s Shia Hazara population.

While this repressive behaviour is not going to end anytime soon, it is clear that, with the passage of time, Pakistan and China will inevitably move towards formal diplomatic ties with the Taliban. China’s economic corridors in Pakistan and Afghanistan will soon be utilised for increasing Beijing’s economic presence in mining Afghanistan’s vast natural resources of copper, gold, bauxite, rare earths, lithium, chromium, lead, zinc, iron ore, gemstones, gypsum and marble. But the question is: while China presently enjoys good relations with an internationally isolated Afghanistan, will Beijing be able to continue on this path, despite its ruthless persecution of its Uighur Muslims? Can the Taliban avoid indefinitely providing a safehaven and support to the long persecuted Uighur Muslims in China’s neighbouring Xinjiang Province – especially when it continues to provide the same for radical Islamic groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda?

On another note, the Taliban have recently expressed their admiration for the economic assistance that India has provided to Afghanistan, and there have been repeated requests from the new government for India to resume its economic assistance programme, which amounted to around $3.5 billion. India’s assistance has involved the construction of long distance power transmission lines, a dam and bridges, and the strategic road connecting Afghanistan to the Iranian Port of Chahbahar. Particularly important was India’s assistance in building the Salma Dam, a 42 MW hydro-electric project in Afghanistan’s Her at Province. Hundreds of Afghan students have received their education in schools and colleges in India, and children’s education within Afghanistan has been facilitated by India providing midday meals in schools.