India s Security Strategy in South Asia: Visualising Afghanistan s Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

By examining India’s role within South Asia’s security environment, this paper suggests how India’s relationship with Afghanistan’s new political regime under a ‘reformed’ Taliban will lead to security cooperation and gateways to economic opportunities. The discussion is underpinned by an analysis of non-state actors from neighboring jurisdictions, such as Pakistan, and China who pose a direct threat to the security of Indian interests. India being a key power player in the region relies on a stable Afghanistan and is therefore heavily vested in steering and overseeing political decisions by neighbouring states around peacebuilding, conflict management, and human security in the region. A discursive methodological approach based on country case study analysis provides the paper with the data needed to establish and explain what the security environment in the South Asian region looks like, the stakeholders, and political nuances that leave gaps for insecurity to thrive and upset vested interests. The contribution that the paper makes is to support policy direction towards entrenching stronger Indian and Afghan relations based on mutual strategic security and economic interests.