How Will the Taliban Rule Bring a Shift in Geopolitics in South Asia?

The Big Story Podcast on the geopolitical implications of the Taliban's rise to power. Image used for representation. 

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

The Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan is likely to shift the geopolitical script of the world, with its immediate implications falling on its immediate neighbours India, China, and Pakistan.

Pakistan has been long been accused of arming, training and giving shelter to the Taliban and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan this week said that the Taliban have “broken the shackles of slavery”, which has both raised eyebrows and may also be interpreted as the countries support to them.

While China has publicly stated that it is willing to develop “friendly relations” with the Taliban, India, on the other hand, which has poured billions in trade in Afghanistan for welfare and economic schemes, has remained mum on the entire issue.

The only clear response came on 19 August when External Affairs Minister Jaishankar stated that India’s approach towards Afghanistan will be “guided by its relationship with the Afghan people”.

Experts have pointed out that India has placed itself in a tight spot since it has not engaged with the group in the past and has largely condoned it. And with China and Pakistan – with whom India has unsolved border tensions – willing to engage with the Taliban, how will it impact India’s regional identity? Has India missed the bus when it comes to engaging with the Taliban?

In our previous episodes of The Big Story on the Afghanistan crisis, we have tried to break down how the Taliban took over the country so easily, what the humanitarian crisis would signal for President Joe Biden’s government and the freedom of Afghan women now that the Taliban have taken over the country.

For today’s episode, we will discuss the geopolitical implication of Taliban entrance in the region and its implication on India. For this, we spoke with Anil Trigunayat, former Indian envoy to Jordan, Libya and Malta.