India, Europe and Afghanistan

Abstract

This chapter approaches the subject from the perspective of Afghanistan as buffer, as a Cold War arena, as a terrorism centre pre-9/11 and as a post-conflict laboratory. From the time that the United States launched its operations in October 2001 to the present, West European nations have not had a discernible independent approach towards Afghanistan. Initially, they largely performed roles assigned to them by Washington. It discusses their divergent approaches towards negotiations with the Taliban. For many years, India maintained that the Taliban was not an entity that was worthy of a role in the new Afghanistan. As Europe and the United States began to open up to the Taliban, India seemed to have softened its statements or muted them altogether. It looked upon all this as an intra-Afghan process. Europe openly encouraged it. In this lay the crucial difference between India and Europe on the issue of reconciliation and peace-making in Afghanistan. The chapter makes a perceptive analysis of different Indian and European perceptions of Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan. In conclusion, the author argues that there should be an honest and intensive dialogue between India and Europe on the role of Pakistan in Afghanistan.