INTRODUCTION
The India Afghanistan relationship is not a simple bilateral engagement. India’s Afghan policy is driven by many extraneous factors such as its geographical constraints, its search for a transit route to Central Asia through Afghanistan and Iran, its troubled relationship with Pakistan and the growing threat of terrorism in India and Afghanistan etc.
The centuries-old ties between India and Afghanistan shaped by history, culture and strong people-to-people linkages have become the foundation of the deep and strong relationship between the two countries. Building on the mutual trust and commonalities in traditional and cultural values, India continues to play a major role in supporting Afghanistan’s journey towards peace and prosperity.
Afghan is considered as ‘Graveyard of empires. The fall of Alexander (in Bactria), disintegration of USSR, and the decline of US hegemony were started in this region. There is an ever-growing perception that it is difficult to come out of Afghan quagmire.
Historical and Cultural ties
Relations between the people of Afghanistan and India traces back to the Indus Valley Civilisation.
The Mauryans controlled much of the area known today as Afghanistan and brought Buddhism in this region.
India and Afghanistan share centuries-old rich heritage with deep-rooted linkages in the field of arts, culture, architecture, cuisine and language.
In the field of music, most Afghan musicians were trained in the Patiala Gharana.
Today, Indian films, songs and TV serials are popular with the masses.
As part of India’s restructuring programme for Afghanistan, India has regularly aimed to take up projects there that will render Afghanistan’s cultural heritage sustainable.
Diplomatic Relations
India was the only South Asian country to recognize the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Its relations were diminished during the 1990s Afghan civil war and the Taliban government. Later, India aided the overthrow of the Taliban.
Now, there exists a high-level political engagement with Afghanistan, which is reflected in the large number of bilateral high-level visits from both sides.
In 2005, India proposed Afghanistan’s membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
In past, India-Afghanistan relations have been further strengthened by the Strategic Partnership Agreement, which was signed between the two countries in October 2011.
The Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between the two sides, provides for
assistance to help rebuild Afghanistan’s infrastructure and institutions,
education and technical assistance to re-build indigenous Afghan capacity in different areas,
encouraging investment in Afghanistan’s natural resources,
providing duty free access to the Indian market for
Afghanistan’s exports
support for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, broadbased and inclusive process of peace and reconciliation, and advocating the need for a sustained and longterm commitment to Afghanistan by the international community
In 2015, when Afghanistan was going through a transition on the political, economic and security fronts, the government of India was quick to reassure Afghanistan of India’s long-term support towards its reconstruction and rehabilitation.
In 2016, Afghanistan supported India’s boycott of the SAARC summit hosted by Pakistan. This was a major diplomatic victory for India.
India - Afghanistan Joint Statement (October 2025): In New Delhi, Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had in-depth talks. Both parties talked about significant regional developments as well as a wide range of topics of shared interest