By Devirupa Mitra, IANS,
Kabul: When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reached the flat, mud-hued city of Kabul surrounded by the majestic Hindu Kush range, he had one missive to carry for his hosts – that in times of regional uncertainty and flux India is here for the long haul.
The prime minister’s message was demonstrated by upgradation of ties to a new level of strategic partnership – a more intense regular institutionalized exchange between the two governments. He also raised the level of Indian assistance to $2 billion – a reassurance to his hosts that India will remain in Afghanistan despite now being a visible target for any attacks by Taliban.
But, there was still an undertone of caution, with defence and law enforcement cooperation still remaining a low-profile part of India’s assistance to the war-ravaged country hounded by Islamist extremists of various hues and the nucleus of the US “war on terror”.
Weeks of intense preparations by the Indian embassy, along with their Afghan counterparts, finally fructified in just over 24 hours of stay in the Afghan capital – a tense period when all authorities were on their toes, hoping that nothing goes wrong during the May 12-13 visit.
At the Massoud roundabout in central Kabul that had a memorial festooned with the pictures of slain iconic Pashtun leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, the flags of India and Afghanistan fluttered together. It was rather appropriate as India had given support to the Northern Alliance through supplies and medical teams during their fight against the Taliban.
Opposite it, there were advertising billboards for cheap international calls, with the Indian flag also included in the group of preferred countries to make frequent communication.
Watching from across the southern border, Pakistan bristles at any increased Indian presence – perceiving it as an encroachment into its sphere of influence.
But for Afghans – from the poorest to the foreign-educated rich businessmen, friendship with India is non-negotiable. It is often also a symbol of independence, with an eye at its southern neighbour.
An Indian embassy official told IANS: “An Indian visa often means a difference in life and death for Afghans.”
However, Afghans are also clear that cooperation with Pakistan is a necessary evil, with both countries joined at the hip – geographically, culturally and economically.
As a special gesture, which neatly dovetailed with security needs, the prime minister stayed in the royal suite of King Zahir Shah, inside the presidential compound. The only time he moved out from the well-guarded complex was by chopper, whether to the parliament or to the airport for departure.
The entire Indian team had strict instructions not to move out of their secure hotel and accommodation. Even when they went in convoy, they had escorts of at least two trucks filled with soldiers, with a blaring police car ensuring an open road in front of them.
The accompanying media delegation had to go through several level of security checks at all venues – from intrusive body searches, sniffer dogs and x-rays.
Everywhere, standing in bazaar, in front of shopfronts, schools, wire-fenced walls, there were soldiers, brandishing the latest firepower and wearing stylish sun-glasses.
For the around 3,000 Indians living in Kabul, the goodwill among the general Afghan public is the healing touch. “They want us here.. Afghans consider us their friends,” Sumeer Bhasin, who runs a travel agency, told IANS. Bhasin ran some Indian restaurants but had to close down because of security fears.
And the presence of these Indian personnel – some of them working in the private sector, to those attached to government projects and ministries – though risky, is a strategic necessity. “We have to show that we will not run away. Afghans respect people who are resilient, like them,” an Indian diplomat told IANS.
(Devirupa Mitra can be contacted at [email protected])