Afghanistan crucial to Indian security

Afghanistan serves as a 'kingpin' for Indian security and economic advancement, said a senior Indian political analyst yesterday.

"Afghanistan was used as a breeding ground for terrorism by Pakistan, the repercussions of which were directly borne by India," claimed Dr Ved Pratap Vaidik, who is a member of several advisory committees of the Government of India and Chairman of the Council for Indian Foreign Policy and Bhartiya Bhasha Sammelan, in an informal gathering in Dubai.

"It is Pakistan who nurtured and fostered terrorism in Afghanistan. As a result of which Afghanistan, which was once a security asset for India, has today turned into an arch security threat."

Answering a query as to whether India would have been in the position to tackle terrorism from Afghanistan, Dr Vaidik said: "As a regional power, India would have been in the position to tackle it, but after September 11, things changed. The war on terrorism launched by the U.S. solved India's problem."

According to Dr Vaidik, India had always maintained good relations with Afghanistan prior to the takeover by the Taliban regime.

"The Pashtuns living in India enjoy a lot of support from Pashtuns living in Afghanistan. As a result, Pakistan is always wary that if it attacks India, it might also have to fight on an second front with Afghanistan," he said.