India, Russia Constitute a Permanent Bilateral Channel to Discuss Afghanistan Crisis

Since the Taliban* have seized power in Kabul, there are serious concerns in the region about a possible spillover of radical Islamism from Afghanistan into territories like Kashmir and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)'s member states.

India and Russia have formed a permanent channel to discuss and formalise joint efforts on Afghanistan. The decision was taken during a 45-minute Tuesday telephone conversation between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

“During the exchange of views on the situation in Afghanistan, the two sides noted the importance of coordinated efforts to establish peace and stability in this country, ensuring security in the region as a whole,” the statement issued by the Kremlin reads.

Putin and Modi also expressed their intention to enhance cooperation on countering the dissemination of terrorist ideologies and a drug threat emanating from the territory of Afghanistan. The annual summit between the two leaders is expected to be held later this year.

Had a detailed and useful exchange of views with my friend President Putin on recent developments in Afghanistan. We also discussed issues on the bilateral agenda, including India-Russia cooperation against COVID-19. We agreed to continue close consultations on important issues.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 24, 2021

​The Indian side, while participating in the 31st special session of human rights council on Afghanistan on Tuesday, expressed hope that the current instability in Afghanistan would not pose a challenge to its neighbours and its territory would not be used by terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), to threaten other countries.

On Monday, Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)'s member states consider Daesh's* current assertiveness in Afghanistan as dangerous.

Following a weeks-long offensive launched across the country since June this year, the Taliban entered Kabul on 15 August, toppling the civilian government. Currently, a series of meetings have been taking place within the Taliban and among world powers to stabilise Afghanistan, which has witnessed consistent violence and war over the last 50 years.

* terrorist organisations outlawed in Russia and many other countries