India all set to corner Pakistan, China; trying to woo Afghanistan

New Delhi, Oct 23: The visit by National Security Advisor (

) Ajit Doval to Kabul is an extremely significant one in the wake of so much action in the region.

During the visit the NSA will try and ensure that India plays a greater role in Afghanistan and also see to it that the dependency of Afghanistan tilts more towards India when compared to other nations especially Pakistan.

The visit gains significance in the wake of Afghanistan looking to handle the situation in the country following the withdrawal of the American troops. Doval will discuss in Afghanistan the proposal to provide modern military hardware.

India-Afghanistan relation: Pakistan played the role of a spoilsport in past

Afghanistan will renew discussions with India led by the NSA on this aspect. This was a proposal that was first initiated under the Hamid Karzai regime but was put on the back burner due to influence from Pakistan.

However, the change of regime in Afghanistan has given both India and Afghanistan a fresh impetus and both nations have decided to take the relations further now.

According to the NSA, Afghanistan needs support to rebuild and in order for this to happen there needs to be assistance given on the social and economic front as well.

India needs to play a bigger role in Afghanistan:

This needs to be coupled with the element of security for which India needs to play a bigger role. India has recognised that the Afghanistan-Pakistan region is infested with terrorists and many of them are working not only to establish their might in Afghanistan but also with an intention of targeting India.

During the various deliberations on these subjects the NSA had pointed out that Pakistan would shake only if the good will that the people of Afghanistan has for India is further strengthened.

There is a dire need to end the dependency that Afghanistan has on Pakistan and only once this happens completely will the situation in the region improve and India can play a more positive role.

India does not want repeat same blunder while Afghistan is concerned:

However, India is optimistic and does not intend repeating the same blunders that it did in the past where Afghanistan is concerned.

India will look to be a major stake holder and will have to ensure at any cost that Pakistan does not get the benefit of being outsourced into Afghanistan as the West had planned earlier.

The blackmail tactic by Pakistan that militancy would increase if India becomes a stake holder in Afghanistan has to be rubbished by the West and hence India will have to play a greater role both on the political and diplomatic front.

The recent visit by Afghanistan Interior Minister Umer Daudzai to India made a fresh pitch and both nations agreed that things would be finalised to a large extent when an Indian contingent headed by the NSA would visit Afghanistan.

What's Afghanistan's expectations from India?

What Afghanistan is seeking from India military equipment and India is too glad to provide the same. With Pakistan leaning towards the Taliban to stage control over the region once the West leaves, the NSA's visit to Kabul is extremely important.

India would look to provide Kabul with military jeeps, choppers and automated weapons in a bid to strengthen the army.

In addition to this the NSA would also hold talks on how to ensure that the Afghanistan army is strengthened and the need of the hour is to ensure that there are at least 2.5 lakh members in the Afghanistan army once the West finally pulls out.

Sources say that India had to make a move quickly since many nations such as Pakistan and China were showing a keen interest in this region. China has been by and large silent on Pakistan moving its fidayeens into Afghanistan and also looking to play a major role.