India has an interest in Afghanistan and should not be “left out of the bandwagon,” Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said on Thursday referring to the U.S.-led efforts to bring Taliban to the mainstream for peace and stability in the region.
“Does India have interest in Afghanistan? Then, we cant be out of the bandwagon. Our thinking is yes, we have interest in Afghanistan. Others want to talk to Taliban, then should we in some way be involved? We should not be left out,” Gen. Rawat said at the Army’s annual press conference ahead of the Army Day.
Speaking at Raisina Dialogue on Wednesday, Gen. Rawat had backed the U.S.-led talks with Taliban .
On Thursday, he clarified that India has a deep interest in Afghanistan and to know “what is being talked” we have to be involved. “Unless you are on the high table, you will not know what call to take,”Gen. Rawat stated.
He further stated that the government has sent representatives and he only said what the Government is undertaking.
India had traditionally maintained that there could not be any talks with the Taliban and called for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned approach. But in an indication of a rethink, it sent two former diplomats to the regional forum on Afghanistan hosted by Russia last November.
Following his comments on Wednesday, there were questions as to why the Centre cannot hold talks with separatists in Kashmir. However, Gen Rawat drew a distinction with Afghanistan and the situation in Kashmir.
Calling the separatists to the negotiating table, Gen Rawat added, “Where there are different national interests we take a different decision... Talks can only happen only if they give up violence.”
