It is still a forbidden word in South Block. The Taliban would have been discussed in the meeting between Dr Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But the ministry of external affairs will not mention the dreaded seven-letter word. Instead, the statement focussed on “further deepening India-Afghan ties’’.
“The two leaders discussed issues of bilateral and regional interest. Dr Abdullah Abdullah briefed the Prime Minister on the Afghan peace process and the ongoing talks in Doha,’’ a statement issued by MEA said.
The chairman's visit comes as negotiations seem to be moving slowly. Almost a month after talks between the Afghan negotiating team and the Taliban began—without any decrease in violence—the two sides have not even narrowed down the code of conduct for the talks. Meanwhile, on Wednesday Trump, Trump tweeted: “We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!”
This was hours after NSA Robert O’Brien, according to reports, said the US had less than 5,000 troops in Afghanistan at the moment and that this would go down to 2,500 by early next year. There is still no clarity on whether Trump’s tweet was handing the Taliban an early Christmas present, as security analysts claim.
India too has woken up to the reality that the Taliban will be a major force in the new Afghan set up. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s presence even virtually at the inauguration of the talks between the Taliban and the Afghan negotiators on September 12 made it clear that India was shifting its policy.
However, so far, India has only chosen to hint at the shift.
“Dr Abdullah Abdullah briefed the Prime Minister on the Afghan peace process and the ongoing talks in Doha. Bilateral issues, including India's development cooperation with Afghanistan, were discussed,’’ the press release issued by the MEA stated. This is as close as the MEA has got to admitting the Taliban would have been discussed as well as Pakistan.
The government in Afghanistan certainly hopes that India will continue to help despite the Taliban involvement in its future. Abdullah “appreciated” India’s $3 billion worth of projects benefiting Afghans across all of its 34 provinces. India realises the importance of winning Afghan hearts as well as the power it has—especially as Afghanistan tries to keep alive the spirit of democracy and equality in the negotiations with the Taliban.
In reiterating “India's commitment towards sustainable peace and prosperity in Afghanistan’’ Prime Minister Modi too, is standing firm as a friend. But the seven-letter word will have to be said aloud sometime soon.
