WikiLeaks: India told US to beware of Pakistan’s ‘game’ in Afghanistan
Indian govt official said Islamabad would show “fabricated” evidence of alleged Indian misbehaviour in...
An Indian government official told the United States in 2010 that it believed Islamabad would likely show US government officials “fabricated” evidence of alleged Indian misbehaviour in Afghanistan to drive India out of the region.
A WikiLeaks cable filed by US Political Counselor Uzra Zeya in New Delhi in February last year contains details of his meeting with YK Sinha, India’s A/S equivalent for Afghanistan. The US diplomat wrote:
According to the cable, Sinha added that he believed “it is quite clear to India” that Pakistan views Afghanistan “as a zero sum game and they want India out of Afghanistan.”
He stated that “we will not leave Afghanistan because we have strategic interests there.”
In the meeting, Sinha also acknowledged that he was aware that the US government “needs Pakistan for many things right now” but warned them to beware of Pakistan’s “game” of enlisting American support to “drive India out of Afghanistan.”
Sinha ended the meeting by asserting that an impulsive US exit from the region would embolden “fanatics” to feel they had defeated both the USSR and the US, “and the result will be very bad for the region.”
Cable Referenced: WikiLeaks no. 250219
The full text of the cables can be read on Dawn.com, The Hinduand NDTV. WikiLeaks has previously released cables to other media organisations including Guardian and the New York Times.
A WikiLeaks cable filed by US Political Counselor Uzra Zeya in New Delhi in February last year contains details of his meeting with YK Sinha, India’s A/S equivalent for Afghanistan. The US diplomat wrote:
Sinha told PolCouns that India welcomes increased coordination with the US government “at all levels, here and in Kabul” regarding assistance activities in Afghanistan “so that our respective interests are not undermined by Pakistan.”
According to the cable, Sinha added that he believed “it is quite clear to India” that Pakistan views Afghanistan “as a zero sum game and they want India out of Afghanistan.”
He stated that “we will not leave Afghanistan because we have strategic interests there.”
In the meeting, Sinha also acknowledged that he was aware that the US government “needs Pakistan for many things right now” but warned them to beware of Pakistan’s “game” of enlisting American support to “drive India out of Afghanistan.”
Sinha ended the meeting by asserting that an impulsive US exit from the region would embolden “fanatics” to feel they had defeated both the USSR and the US, “and the result will be very bad for the region.”
Cable Referenced: WikiLeaks no. 250219
The full text of the cables can be read on Dawn.com, The Hinduand NDTV. WikiLeaks has previously released cables to other media organisations including Guardian and the New York Times.