India has failed to deliver long-promised military aid to Afghanistan and the new Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani has told New Delhi that he would reexamine his predecessor Hamid Karzai’s request for its assistance. Ghani’s decision has been conveyed to the Ministry of External Affairs in the new Indian government. Obviously, Ghani believes that the outreach to India would poison his country’s relationship with Pakistan without any benefit to Kabul. New Delhi was supposed to have finalized its plans to pay Russian firms to provide Afghan armed forces with small arms, field mortar and air support platforms. It had done so to back anti-Taliban warlord Ahmad Shah Masood in his battle against the Taliban before 9/11. But no equipment has been delivered as yet. An analyst in New Delhi said that the new Afghan President is following in the footsteps of Karzai betting on appeasing Pakistan. It should be a lesson to Delhi that delayed decisions meant lost opportunities. Hamid Karzai had requested Indian military aid in 2012 invoking a strategic partnership agreement whereby India is committed to the training, equipping and capacity building for Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had dragged his feat to avoid rubbing Pakistan the wrong way. The urgent request for helicopters was also not complied with.
What is India’s loss is Pakistan’s gain and it assumes the utmost gravity with the beginning of US and UK pullout from Afghanistan. International observes are becoming increasingly concerned about the ability of the Afghan army to take on Taliban attacks in the coming year. The Iraqi example has highlighted the threat. The Afghan government has not got sufficient revenue to meet the costs of its army which is estimated at $ 4.7 billion per annum. The army is also plagued by ethnic tensions. International funding is likely to dry up after 2014. India’s role is important especially with a belligerent Pakistan muscling in. If Delhi could supply arms to the military junta, it is hard to understand why it is hesitant about meeting Afghan demands. The complexity of the situation should be a wake-up call to the Modi Sarkar .