Context:

• The visit of Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi marks only the start of renewed India-Afghanistan engagement.
• India must now pursue gradual, pragmatic cooperation aimed at stabilising Afghanistan while reinforcing its image as a major humanitarian actor.
• Such engagement also serves India’s security interests and could, if approached constructively, contribute to regional stability — even benefiting Pakistan, provided it is willing to cooperate.
• This article highlights the next steps India must take following the visit of Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi.
• It examines how India can play a decisive role in stabilising Afghanistan through cooperation in counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, water management, education, and governance.

India’s Role in Stabilising Afghanistan’s Fight Against Terror and Drugs

• The joint statement between India and the Taliban government, which angered Pakistan, reaffirmed Kabul’s condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and its pledge not to allow Afghan soil to be used against India.
• The UN Security Council’s monitoring report praised the Taliban’s fight against the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) but questioned its capacity to fully contain it, as supreme leader Mullah Haibatullah continues to govern from Kandahar.
• The report also revealed that while the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) receives funds from within Afghanistan, the Taliban hesitate to act against it for fear of driving it closer to IS-K.
• Pakistan’s accusations, therefore, are more propaganda than genuine concern.
• India can play a constructive role by helping Afghanistan strengthen its successful drug eradication efforts through crop substitution and farmer support schemes.
• With rising drug cultivation and meth production, and large narcotic seizures along Indian borders, cooperation through India’s Narcotics Control Bureau to train Afghan officials would be crucial.
• This approach would replace brute force with sustainable solutions, aiding both counter-narcotics and regional stability.

Water Cooperation: The Key to Kabul’s Recovery and Regional Stability

• Kabul faces an acute water crisis and could become the first city in the world to run completely dry by 2030.
• Years of conflict have crippled infrastructure and delayed essential projects.
• India’s renewed offer to construct the Shahtoot Dam on the Kabul River can help address this crisis but has raised concerns in Pakistan, which has reported a 16% reduction in river flows.
• Since the Kabul River is part of the Indus system, it should be included in a new water-sharing treaty that ensures fair distribution and mutual benefit.
• Such cooperation would not only support Afghanistan’s recovery but also promote stability in a water-stressed region.

Empowering Afghanistan Through Education and Skill Development

• Women’s education remains one of Afghanistan’s most pressing challenges, with moderate Taliban leaders like Abdul Baqi Haqqani—who supported it—replaced by hardliners such as Mawlawi Habibullah Agha.
• Reversing this regressive stance is essential both for Afghanistan’s progress and for shaping India’s constructive engagement.
• India’s offer of 1,000 e-scholarships through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations is a positive step but far from sufficient.
• The initiative should be expanded by allowing major Afghan colleges access to online education with relaxed foreign exchange norms.
• Educational and skill development efforts must also align with India’s planned investments in sectors like mining to build local capacity, reduce dependency on foreign workers, and generate sustainable employment within Afghanistan.

India’s Long-Term Goal: A Stable and Friendly Afghanistan

• Achieving lasting stability in Afghanistan requires a coordinated “whole-of-government” approach, where all Indian ministries — including finance, water, and power — work towards a unified goal of maintaining a friendly and secure neighbour.
• The National Security Council Secretariat must be strengthened to ensure policy coherence and continuity across governments, following the principle of maintaining a clear and consistent strategic aim.
• However, regional stability faces a major obstacle: Pakistan’s military, which seeks to dominate the Taliban, has little interest in Afghanistan’s stabilisation.
• In contrast, ordinary Pakistanis, especially Pashtuns with cross-border family and trade links, would benefit from peace, with potential trade revenues estimated at $10 billion.
• Ultimately, systemic political change in Pakistan — moving away from military control toward genuine democracy — is crucial, as true democratic governance remains the most reliable path to regional peace and stability.