Pakistan-Afghanistan on the brink of war after…; How India is preparing for a potential conflict between its volatile neighbours?

New Delhi is keeping a close watch on Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions, and sources speculate that Kabul may try to strengthen ties with India and move away from Islamabad due to Pakistan’s recent military actions in Afghanistan. 

Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict: Pakistan and Afghanistan seem inching closer towards a war which could have a drastic impact on the entire southeast Asia and Eurasian region. The development comes after Pakistan conducted a wave of cross-border airstrikes in Afghanistan, with country’s ruling Taliban regime promising to provide an appropriate response to Islamabad’s actions.

Meanwhile, India is reportedly keeping a close eye on the growing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan because a war between its two volatile neighbours would cause major problems for New Delhi on several fronts, such as a refugee crisis and a surge in terrorism.

According to a report by the Economic Times, New Delhi is keeping a close watch on Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions, and sources speculate that Kabul may try to strengthen ties with India and move away from Islamabad due to Pakistan’s recent military actions in Afghanistan.

Notably, India has opened several dialogues with the Taliban over the past year, a move which has irked Pakistan. Additionally, India has allowed a Taliban representative to work from the Afghan consulate in Mumbai, while Kabul has assured New Delhi that it will not allow its soil to be used for anti-India activities.

In November, Taliban defence minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, also known as Mullah Yaqoob, met a senior Indian foreign ministry official in Kabul, and assured that the Taliban won’t allow its land to be used for terror-related activities. Mullah Yaqoob, the son of Taliban founder, Mullah Omar, also expressed Kabul’s willingness to engage in a fruiful diplomatic partnership with New Delhi.

Pakistan conducts air strikes in Afghanistan

Earlier this week, Pakistan conducted a wave of air strikes in Paktika province of Afghanistan’s Barmal district, which left at least 46 people dead and six injured. In a statement, Pakistani military said the airstrikes, which took place on the night of December 24, were aimed at bases of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of several militants and the destruction of four TTP bases, Khaama Press reported, citing the Pakistani media outlets close to the Pakistani Army.

However, the Taliban’s Ministry of Defence argued that the strike also hit “Waziristani refugees,” disputing the claim that only militants were targeted. This escalation in violence has sparked tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the Taliban warning of retaliation.

The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has increased its attacks on Pakistani forces in recent months, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to these militants.

Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions

Following the attack, Afghanistan’s foreign ministry on on Wednesday summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul to deliver a strong protest note regarding the airstrikes conducted by Pakistani military jet in the Barmal district of Paktika province near the theoretical Durand Line,” Hafiz Zia, a spokesperson of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), wrote on X.

“The attack by the Pakistani military was categorically condemned, and the Embassy of Pakistan was informed that while representatives of Pakistan’s civilian government were engaged in dialogues with the Afghan officials in Kabul, the violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and martyring civilians by Pakistani military are perceived as deliberate attempt by certain circles in Pakistan aimed at undermining trust and causing frictions in the relations of the two nations. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, with its longstanding history of defending the country against major powers, strongly rejects any breach of territorial integrity and firmly remains committed to defending Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.

Tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have been building for some time, fueled by the ongoing presence of TTP militants in Afghanistan. While Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring these militants, the Taliban insists it is not collaborating with the group.

(With inputs from agencies)