India and Afghanistan | PSIR Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

History of India-Afghanistan Relations

Historical Contacts Between India and Afghanistan

• Contact between the people of present-day India and Afghanistan dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization.
• Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's successors, controlled most of Afghanistan before ceding much of it to the Mauryan Empire in 305 BC as part of an alliance treaty.

Medieval Invasions and Migrations

• From the 10th century to the mid-18th century, several invaders such as the Ghaznavids,Ghurids,Khaljis,Suris,Mughals, and Durranis invaded northern India from what is now Afghanistan.
• During periods of instability, especially during the Mughal era (1526–1858), many Afghans migrated to India.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and the Indian Independence Movement

• Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a prominent leader in the Indian independence movement and a supporter of the Indian National Congress.
• Despite the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) becoming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, Pashtun support for the Indian freedom struggle fostered sympathy in India for Pashtun autonomy.
• The Indian government supported Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in advocating for greater Pashtun freedom in the NWFP.

Post-Independence Relations

• India was the only South Asian country to recognize the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
• Relations diminished during the 1990s Afghan civil war and the Taliban government.
• India played a significant role in the overthrow of the Taliban and became the largest regional provider of humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Afghanistan.
• Indian workers are involved in various construction projects as part of India’s rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan.

Indo-Afghan Political Relations 

During Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, India supported the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan by providing intelligence and logistics. After the Taliban's fall, India established diplomatic relations with the new government and contributed to relief and reconstruction efforts.

• India is now the fifth-largest provider of development assistance to Afghanistan, having committed around $650–750 million in humanitarian and economic aid since 2001. This makes India the largest regional provider of aid.
• India's support includes rebuilding air links, power plants, and investing in health and education sectors. India also helps train Afghan civil servants, diplomats, and police.
• In 2005, India proposed Afghanistan's membership in SAARC. Various memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed to strengthen cooperation in rural development, education, and standardization.
• India raised its aid package to Afghanistan in 2006 and the country became the eighth member of SAARC in 2007.
• In 2011, India and Afghanistan signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement to assist in rebuilding Afghanistan’s infrastructure, institutions, and education, and to encourage investment in Afghanistan’s natural resources.
• In December 2015, India donated attack helicopters to Afghanistan as part of the bilateral strategic partnership to counter the Taliban insurgency. Indian PM Narendra Modi also inaugurated the newly constructed Afghan parliament in Kabul.
• On August 15, 2019, PM Modi extended greetings to Afghanistan on its 100th Independence Day, highlighting the strong friendship between the two nations.

Economic Relations between India and Afghanistan

India's Economic Expansion in Afghanistan

• India aims to strengthen its economic presence in Afghanistan as international forces withdraw, focusing on transport connectivity and economic collaboration with Central and South Asia.
• As of 2012, India had already invested $10.8 billion in various projects in Afghanistan, with plans for more after the NATO withdrawal.

Key Projects

• Iron Ore Mines: Development of iron ore mines.
• Steel Plant: A 6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) steel plant by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
• Power Plants: An 800 MW power plant and hydroelectric power projects.
• Infrastructure: Construction of transmission lines and roads.
• Salma Dam: India helped reconstruct the Salma Dam, now known as the Afghan-India Friendship Dam, which produces 42 MW of power and irrigates 75,000 hectares of farmland.

Salma Dam Details

• The Salma Dam, located on the Hari River in Herat Province, was renamed to strengthen Indo-Afghan relations.
• It stabilizes irrigation for 35,000 hectares and develops facilities for an additional 40,000 hectares.

India-Iran Transit Agreement

• India and Iran are set to sign a transit agreement to transport goods to landlocked Afghanistan.
• The Indian government is investing over US$100 million in expanding the Chabahar port in Iran, which will serve as a hub for transit goods, facilitating imports and exports for Afghanistan and Central Asia.

India-Afghanistan Air-Freight Corridor

• Inaugurated in 2017, the Air-Freight Corridor has facilitated goods worth over USD 216 million, benefiting Afghan exports to India.
• The aim is to expand the Corridor to other cities, further enhancing trade and cooperation.

Indian Diaspora in Afghanistan

Indian Presence in Afghanistan (August 2020)

• Approximately 1710 Indians are estimated to be living in Afghanistan.
• Most Indians are working as professionals in various sectors, including:
• Banks
• IT firms
• Construction companies
• Hospitals
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
• Telecom companies
• Security companies
• Universities
• Government of India sponsored projects
• Government of Afghanistan
• United Nations (UN) Missions