Former Afghanistan Official Warns India-Pakistan Rivalry Undermines Peace

DID Press: Former Afghanistan Foreign Minister and national security adviser, Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, warned on Wednesday that geopolitical competition between India and Pakistan in Afghanistan does not contribute to regional peace and stability.

Spanta said current Indian policies are largely shaped by an anti-Pakistan stance, while both India and Pakistan seek to maintain influence in Afghanistan. “These issues are not about good-neighborly relations or peace in the region,” he said.

He stressed that Afghanistan should not become a battleground for proxy competition between the two regional powers, as such rivalries can exacerbate internal instability and regional tensions.

Spanta’s remarks come amid Afghanistan’s diplomatic isolation. Since the fall of former republican government, Kabul’s formal interactions with regional countries, particularly India, have been limited. India has attempted to maintain a presence through informal and humanitarian channels, while Pakistan continues to play an active role using historical ties and security influence.

The rivalry extends beyond diplomacy into cultural, economic, and media spheres, with both countries supporting aligned groups and institutions to expand influence within Afghanistan society.

In this context, Taliban acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is scheduled to visit India on Thursday, Oct. 9, in what could be the first high-level official meeting between the Taliban government and Indian authorities. Analysts view the trip as a test of Taliban diplomacy and India’s flexibility toward the new Afghanistan order.