New Era of India–Afghanistan Friendship Begins; Pakistan on Edge Amid Strengthening Ties
Kabul/New Delhi, October 10:
A new chapter in India–Afghanistan relations appears to be unfolding as Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi made his maiden official visit to India, signaling a growing warmth between New Delhi and Kabul. The timing of the visit seems to have triggered panic in Islamabad, with Pakistan launching cross-border airstrikes in Afghanistan just hours after the visit — a move widely seen as an attempt to divert attention and reassert influence in the region.
Sources said Pakistan targeted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Kabul, but the strikes are being viewed as a reaction to India’s increasing diplomatic outreach to Afghanistan, which has long been under Islamabad’s shadow.
India’s efforts to rebuild its ties with Afghanistan — through development cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and potential defense collaborations — have been welcomed by Kabul’s leadership. Analysts believe the growing engagement could reshape the strategic balance in South Asia, with Afghanistan seeking closer coordination with India to ensure regional peace and stability.
Afghan observers say that Afghanistan values India as a trusted friend that has consistently supported the Afghan people, even during times of political transition. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s aggressive posturing reflects its nervousness over losing strategic leverage in Kabul.
Security experts in New Delhi have also underlined the importance of offering full support — military, diplomatic, and humanitarian — to Afghanistan, as this partnership can help counter terrorism, curb cross-border militancy, and enhance India’s regional influence.
As one analyst put it, “The friendship between India and Afghanistan is not just symbolic — it’s a partnership for peace, progress, and regional strength.”
