India and the Afghan Maze: A Nimble and Supple Policy Only Way Out

There is really never any endgame in Afghanistan and what might appear to be one today will, in all likelihood, be nothing more than the closing of one chapter and the opening of another. Therefore Chandra’s contention that the war in Afghanistan has a long way to go is incontestable, and it is in this context that India’s options will always remain alive. To be sure, there will be setbacks and reverses for India, if the current political system/arrangement in Afghanistan collapses (which, as the author rightly points out, has to an extent been riding on the US efforts to regain its influence in Afghanistan). But in the not so distant future, a turn of events is inevitable, which can once again catapult India into becoming a pivotal player in Afghanistan. The author is quite right in stating that there is no reason for India to view with despondence the current developments in Afghanistan.