AFGHANISTAN GEO-STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE

Afghanistan enjoys a strategic location in South Asia and is particularly relevant to India as a geographical neighbour.
The country has the Central Asian Republics to the North, Pakistan to its East, and through Iran and Pakistan the Indian Ocean deeper south.
India’s first and most important interest in Afghanistan is to ensure that Pakistan does not gain an edge within governing structures of Afghanistan. India feels that if Pakistan succeeds in installing Taliban or a Taliban-sponsored regime in Afghanistan, it will be detrimental to the cause of the regional security of India.
For Indian trade with the Central Asian Republics, the flow could be through the sea lanes of communications of Indian Ocean to Gwadar port, and thereafter by land astride the Delaram highway that India has built-in Afghanistan, to destinations in CAR states.
A stable Afghanistan bordering India is crucial for regional and domestic security and stability in the South Asia and within India. Hardliners in Afghanistan have often been used by Pakistan to export terrorism in Kashmir.
A favourable Afghanistan is a sine-qua-non for accessing Central Asia and Eurasia by India through the Chabahar, which bypasses Pakistan.
Central Asia has large deposits of oil and natural gas. Afghanistan is an energy bridge and thus key to achieving India’s strategic objectives.
Huge deposits of energy raw materials and high-value mineral deposits. A substantial concentration of such resources is along Afghanistan’s borders with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan. Further, most Afghan resources remain untapped.
Afghanistan is of vital importance as a tool of counterbalance to Pakistan and China.
Afghanistan also denies strategic depth to Pakistan. The Pakistan-Afghanistan border remaining active denies Pakistan the opportunity of positioning additional military capabilities along its borders with India.