Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray
Does India now have a role in Afghanistan? I am deliberately asking this so that brains could be picked in this hypothetical surmise that may never take place!
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Brig Ray,
India does have a role: It is a role under the UN umbrella; it has a shade I believe the Indian security establishment swore to always venture out under after IPKF-SL. Under the same umbrella it can fly in its aid-workers and reconstruction teams; further they can all be supplied on the same routes used by NATO troops - a route I belive that goes over Pakistan.
If Pakistan is going to the shambles, so would the supply routes. In that worst-case eventuality India's logical role would be to get the hell out of Dodge City before the lines are cut. India will have a much bigger mess on its immediate hands to worry about the $750 million investment in Afghanistan. Hopefully India has emergency arrangements with Russia and the CARs to exfil the aid- and reconstruction-workers, cuz' sure as hell they won't stan much chance piggybacking a NATO exfil effort. Smaller the Indian footprint, the better.
Now I am sure that was not the new role you expected to hear, but that is the lesson I draw from the story of the 15,000 Indians who went with General Elphinstone up the Khyber. At least Runjeet Singh had held the passes open, can you be that sure with the Paks?