India’s NSA meeting a futile attempt to undo 'spoiler' image

Analysts believe move reflects New Delhi’s desperate desire to regain strategic weight

ISLAMABAD:

Having faced strategic losses in Afghanistan after US withdrawal, India plans to host the NSA-level summit in New Delhi next week, which the analysts believe, is nothing but an attempt to cover up its image of “spoiler” and try to enhance its relevance in the region.

Being well-cognisant of India’s true face and negative role in the region particularly in Afghanistan, key regional stakeholder Pakistan had already declined India’s invitation to be part of the summit.

“I will not go! I am not going… a spoiler cannot be a peacemaker,” Moeed Yusuf told media when asked whether he planned to go to attend the summit on the invitation of Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

Responding to a question about attending Indian NSA-level meet on Afghanistan, NSA @YusufMoeed categorically denied attending the summit while stating “A spoiler cannot be a peacemaker.” 1/2 pic.twitter.com/jRA2JEBrM0

— India Study Centre (@isc_issi) November 3, 2021

Meanwhile, all eyes are also set on China’s response to the invitation who, according to the Indian media, has not yet confirmed its participation in the summit.

“Aside from Pakistan, another country that is yet to respond to India’s invitation is China,” Indian news agency ANI reported Friday.

 ‘Staging a comeback’

The defence and security analysts are of the view that India always used Afghanistan as a staging ground and a second front against Pakistan.

“India has become irrelevant on Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US-led international forces from Afghanistan. It is desperately trying to stage a comeback,” said Executive Director of Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) Hussain Nadim.

Good decision. For 20 years #India played a double game in #Afghanistan - using US presence in the country to run a terror campaign against Pakistan while also sabotaging US efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.

And to this day running a vicious campaign to sanction Pakistan. https://t.co/qgisBRU1fT

— Hussain Nadim (@HNadim87) November 2, 2021

He said with the equation disturbed after the emergence of a new political reality in Afghanistan, India was deeply worried about its strategic losses.

Coupled with the fact that China has also foiled the Indian project in Ladakh by completely outmanoeuvring India through the use of force, analysts in several think tanks were appreciative of Pakistan‘s decision of non-participation in the NSA Summit in New Delhi which had dealt a blow to India.

Haris Saeed, a researcher at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies said, “Spoilers cannot be peacebuilders. India is no more relevant vis-à-vis Afghanistan… India is in conflict with every neighbour and it is just illogical to consider India as a peacemaker.”

Spoilers cannot be peace builders.
India is no more relevant vis-à-vis Afghanistan.
The summit will be irrelevant without the participation of Pakistan. India is in conflict with every neighbor and it is just illogical to consider India as a peacemaker https://t.co/qL8Seeamby

— Haris Malik (@HarisMalik00) November 2, 2021

“The meaningless conference holds little importance for the regional actors and Afghanistan itself, whom India abandoned when the govt in Kabul fell… the conference remains irrelevant without Pakistan’s presence whose stance on the matter is clear 'spoilers cannot be Dove of peacemakers',” said foreign policy analyst Aisha Saeed on Twitter.

After #Iran, #India's conference on #Afghanistan is another attempt to remain relevant in regional politics and show itself as an epitome of peace. After being sidelined throughout the Afghan Peace Progress initiated by Pakistan , US and allies, India's upcoming moot has been ...

— Aisha Saeed (@MsAishaK) November 2, 2021

Hussain Nadim said Pakistan had participated in all the major regional forums on Afghanistan to bring stability and help Afghan masses. It has proactively interacted with Central Asian states, Russia, China, Qatar and other players as a responsible regional player.

“However, Pakistan believes that spoilers like India cannot be treated as peacebuilder. For last two decades, India has duped the international community in Afghanistan, promoted fake narratives and wrong perceptions of Western success in Afghanistan and used Afghan soil to foment terrorism against Pakistan,” the IPRI head commented.

Under these circumstances, NSAs Summit will be a flop show, he believed.

“A well-calibrated and firm policy approach against those who tried hard to derail peace process in Afghanistan. (“Spoilers” cannot be “Peace builders”). Just mere effort to stay relevant,” a Twitter handle Narrative commented.

Pakistan's 🇵🇰 #NSA says "won't attend Afghanistan moot in #India scheduled on 10th November".

A well-calibrated and firm policy approach against those who tried hard to derail peace process in Afg.
("Spoilers" cannot be "Peace builders")
Just mere effort to stay relevant.

— Narrative (@StateNarrative) November 2, 2021

Commenting on Pakistan’s decision of non-participation of the summit, Dr Asma Khawaja, Head of Strategic Studies Department at National Defence University, Islamabad, said, “Spoiler in Pakistan-India Peace Process is INDIA & her Strategic Thought.”

Spoiler in Pakistan-India Peace Process is INDIA & her Strategic Thought https://t.co/EFXLEBcJKo

— Shaking Hands With Clenched Fists (@AsmaKhawaja5) November 3, 2021