The Delhi Declaration on Afghanistan issues chaired and supervised over by NSA Ajit Doval with NSA’s of Russia, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan underline that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used for terrorist activities.
Who Attended The Meeting?
This article discloses sensitive information about the meeting held and Delhi’s declaration of Afghanistan’s honor. The meeting was attended by Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani of Iran, Nikolai P Patrushev of Russia, Karim Massimov of Kazakhstan, Marat Mukanovich Imankulov of Kyrgyzstan, Narsullo Rahmatojan Mahmudzoda of Tajikistan Charymyrat Kakalyyevvich Amavov of Turkmenistan, and Victor Makhmudov of Uzbekistan. They also met India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pakistan and China decided to stay away from the meeting.
About The Delhi Declaration
The Delhi Declaration is important as it points out several subtle changes in India’s policy and relations with the country and its neighboring countries.
What The Delhi Declaration Addresses Over Afghanistan
Doval states that the situation is important and has valid implications not only for natives of Afghanistan but also for its neighborhood. Over Afghanistan, PM Modi, as per his statement, says that the countries in this region need to focus on four major concerns. “The need for an inclusive government, a zero-tolerance stance about Afghan territory being used by terrorist groups, a strategy to counter trafficking of drugs and arms from Afghanistan and addressing the increasingly critical humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.”
The senior security officers have expressed their unruly appreciation towards India’s initiative in organizing the dialogue and the quality of exchanges. Also, their perspective over the situation in Afghanistan was conveyed. The Delhi Declaration adopted by the National Security Agency (NSA) said that the participants discussed the current tense situations in Afghanistan, especially its security concerns, religious issues, and its regional and global issues that it poses to the world.
Special attention has been levied to the political situation and threats arising from terrorism, drug trafficking radicalization in Afghanistan. There is also a major concern for rising humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.
What Was This Agreement Based On?
Peace, security, and stability were the three main objectives for Afghanistan. Afghanistan also highlighted the respect for sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and non-interference in its internal affairs.
They emphasized that Afghanistan’s territory should not be used for lodging, sheltering training, planning, or financing any terrorist activities. They also expressed deep immaculate concern for people suffering in Afghanistan arising from security concerns, thus condemning the terrorist attacks in Kunduz, Kandahar, and Kabul. They called for cooperation and unity against the menace of drug trafficking, radicalization, and extremism.
They also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the fundamental rights of women, children, and minorities are not being violated. They have also expressed growing concern over the deteriorating socio-economic and humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan and that humanitarian assistance must be provided to the people of Afghanistan. They have made a strong commitment to providing health care and assistance to the Afghans in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
These were some of the agreements that were made during the discussion. The NSAs have levied great concern and importance on these points and have agreed to stay in contact with each other in near future and hold the next round of the security dialogue that shall commence in 2022.
The Taliban On The Delhi Declaration
The Taliban have welcomed the Delhi Declaration on Afghanistan after India invited seven countries neighboring it to discuss the situation in a geostrategically significant country. The Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said that the group saw the India-hosted meeting in Afghanistan as a positive step.
Pakistan is hosting a separate meeting in Afghanistan in an attempt to outsmart and outdo India. However, unlike Pakistan and China, the Taliban have shown more openness to India’s efforts towards establishing normalcy in Afghan territory. The Taliban and India have had tense relations since the past which can be seen through history but the Taliban have supported this move which further indicates that the backchannel of communication between the group and the Indian government is still open and functioning.
China will be joining the US, Russia, and Pakistan to discuss the Afghan situation.
Russia will be the only member attending both the meetings. Following the joint declaration on Wednesday, Russia issued a separate statement in which it appeared soft over the Taliban while addressing terrorism and violence. It highlighted the concern over the possibility of Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for global terrorism. Russia also stated its concerns over the rights of women, children, and minority communities under the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. It also stated its concerns over major issues like drug trafficking and radicalization.
Moreover What The Delhi Declaration Says
The declaration of eight countries states that Afghanistan must not turn into a haven for terrorism and violent activities. Afghanistan’s territory shall not be used for terror activities like lodging and training or financing terror groups and activities. There has been a concern over Afghanistan becoming a center for shooting out terror tremors across parts of Asia since the Taliban has conquered Afghanistan since mid-August 2021.
The Taliban also share close relations with Pakistan Army (ISIS) which is known to sponsor terrorists and create havoc and violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Another arising concern is related to religious issues. The Taliban rejects all non-Islamic beliefs and practices in Afghanistan. The joint declaration has made a point about “Inclusion of all sections of the society in the administrative and political structure is imperative for the successful national reconciliation process in the country.”
Reasons As To Why The Delhi Declaration Matters
The Delhi Declaration matters as it brings about some positive changes to all the associated countries. It indicates changes in India’s policy and highlights its relations with its neighboring countries. NSA Ajit Doval held the meeting with the motive of throwing light upon various concerns and it spells out a clear shift in India’s position on Afghanistan in matters of development and to counter off terrorism in order to secure India’s domestic concerns.
The meeting was to be held by 10 nations of which Pakistan and China backed off and decided to hold a separate one. Pakistan’s motive was purely to outsmart India.
Despite being taunted by Pakistan and China and their rigorous efforts to push India out of the equation regarding Afghanistan. India remains a facilitator of peace. India’s main motive has always been to secure and promote peace and harmony in the world.
Taliban In Afghanistan
The approach also aims to provide relief to the people of Afghanistan in which nationals can live with normalcy and their goal is to secure peace, security and live peacefully with honour who have suddenly been subjected to the designation and rule of the Taliban. Taliban are known for violating rights and their atrocities on women and children. The common concern was regarding Afghanistan becoming an epicentre for terrorism and growing unrest in the region. The common concern states that the region should observe peace and normalcy and not become a centre for international terrorism, thus causing destruction, violence and chaos.
Two Aspects Indicated By The Meeting
The first aspect established was India’s relevance for Afghanistan. India has shown its concern for the majorly arising issues in the country and unrest in Afghanistan. The Iranian NSA says India has played a great role in Afghanistan. The Russian secretary supported India over the issue of the Taliban capturing Kabul throwing light upon India’s role in Afghanistan’s concerns and issues. Their motive is to ensure development in social and economic sectors all over the Asian continent.
The second aspect was the absence of Pakistan and China. They did not choose to attend the meeting in spite of being invited, yet decided to have their own meeting with Afghanistan. The absence of Pakistan and China confirmed the Sino-Pak axis would continue to have a separate agenda that could create hardships in achieving the objectives enlisted in the Delhi Declaration. Pakistan’s capture of Kabul, show their victory over India. This impacts the Afghan and Pak relations. Yet the Taliban has accepted India’s interest in the meeting and stated that they saw it as a positive gesture whereby they hoped to contribute to the peace and stability of Afghanistan.
Wrap-Up
Thus, this is all about the Delhi Declaration. The meeting was attended by all the invited nations besides Pakistan and China. The meeting was conducted on a positive note. Their main objective was to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan. Peaceful negotiations were carried out with the Taliban. Russia also played an important role. The main objective is to see to it that Afghans can live with honor and a sense of pride, to curb violence, to ensure that the rights of women, children, and minorities are not being violated, to ensure Afghan does not serve as a center of international terrorism and no terror activities will be carried out from Afghanistan.
A further meeting will be conducted by the NSAs in 2022 which has already been decided upon. Thus, this article gets you covered upon the Delhi Declaration upon Afghanistan’s right to peace, stability, and honor and assuring non-violence to its neighboring countries.