BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

INDIA IN AFGHANISTAN: CHALLENGES TO ACTIVE MILITARY ENGAGEMENTS

Author: Amit Rajan

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2017v38n1a2

ABSTRACT

Despite the Government of India’s repeated rejections of a demand for having Indian military boots in Afghanistan, there is an ongoing debate across the world, especially within India, over this issue. Whether India’s position secures its strategic interests or not, only future will tell. Historically, Afghanistan is known as a “graveyard of empires” where whosoever interfered has faced destruction — the last one was the erstwhile Soviet Union (1979-1989). At present, the United States (US) and Pakistan are bearing the brunt of their misadventures in 1980s. In this paper, after critically looking into the history and present situation in Afghanistan, the author examines the pitfalls of any form of military engagement by India in Afghanistan.