Like its “iron brother” Pakistan, China too has finally turned down India's invitation for a regional security dialogue on Afghanistan, which will be held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will host his counterparts from Iran and Russia as well as Central Asian nations like, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, in New Delhi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban of late returned to power taking advantage of the withdrawal of the United States and its allies.
Nikolai P. Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, will attend the dialogue in New Delhi. Iran will be represented by the secretary of its Supreme National Security Council, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, a source said. The senior security officials of the Central Asian nations will also attend the meet.
New Delhi had extended invitation to Doval's counterparts in China and Pakistan too.
Pakistan’s National Security Advisor, Moeed Yusuf, however, said in Islamabad on November 2 last that he would not visit New Delhi as India had been a ‘spoiler’ in Afghanistan.
A source in New Delhi on Monday said that India was no longer expecting a positive response from China too.
The Taliban's return to power in Kabul after two decades gave its mentor Pakistan a “strategic depth” in Afghanistan. China has been trying to piggyback on Pakistan, not only to take advantage of the strategic edge, but also to ensure that the Taliban in power in Afghanistan does not provide any support to the extremist East Turkestan Islamic Movement in the restive Xinjiang Autonomous Region of the communist country.
New Delhi's relations with Beijing hit a new low over the 19-month-long military stand-off between the Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
“The high level Dialogue will review the security situation in the region arising from recent developments in Afghanistan. It will deliberate upon measures to address the relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability,” the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said. “India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with the people of Afghanistan and has called for a unified international response to address the security and humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan. The forthcoming meeting is a step in that direction.”
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