1

Summary

International Relations Class 04

## INDIA & AFGHANISTAN (5:05 PM):

- India and Afghanistan have had historical and cultural ties.
- India generally has good relations with those in power in Afghanistan, except the Taliban(1996-2001).
- India considered the Taliban to be a terrorist actor/group.
- In fact, 2012 Pakistan suggested distinguishing between "Good & Bad" Taliban.
- Good Taliban was a moderate variant of the Taliban.
- India refused any such distinction and did not engage in dialogue with the Taliban.
- The moderate version/variant of the Taliban was allowed to open a political office in Qatar, Doha in 2013.
- Regarding the Intra-Afghan dialogue, India has insisted the process be 'A**fghan-Led, Afghan-Controlled & Afghan Owned'.**
- In 2001 when the USA launched the Global War on Terror, it chose Pakistan as its major ally because of logistical purposes.
- The USA was dependent on Pakistan for communications and supply lines in its war against the Taliban.
- The USA was sensitive to Pakistan's security concerns and therefore recommended India limit its role to development assistance.

## Indian state-building efforts in Afghanistan:

- India is Afghanistan's biggest regional development partner.
- During the last two decades, it has committed **$ 3.1 billion** in economic assistance., and around a million tonnes of wheat.
- Establishing Children’s Hospital.
- Building Afghan Parliament.
- Building Salma Dam, which is also known as India- Afghanistan Friendship Dam.
- India undertook the development of Chabahar port in Iran and also built 200 kilometers **Zaranj- Delaram** highway in Afghanistan to connect it to the Iranian border town of **Zahedan**.
- ![](https://fotisedu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image-24.png)
- The project will reduce the dependence on land-locked Afghanistan over the Karachi port.
- **Garland Highway** of Afghanistan is connected to the Zaranj-Delaram Highway.
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)
- Scholarships for college education, and an equal number entered into short-term vocational courses.
- Training  Afghan civil servants and military officers.
- To strengthen local governance, India funded over four hundred small developmental projects across all 34 provinces of Afghanistan.
- These projects are demand-driven and have generated tremendous goodwill for India in Afghanistan.
- India spearheaded Afghanistan’s membership in **SAARC**.

## WAY FORWARD BEFORE INDIA AFTER TALIBAN 2.0 (5:30 PM):

- India should not be in any rush to recognize the Afghan government.
- It is a government based on Shariah law, disrespectful of women and minority rights.
- They have formed a Pashtun, Men-only government.
- However, Indian Afghan policy should be rooted in realism.
- India should pursue limited and gradual engagement.
- India should in fact establish direct contact with all actors in Afghan Polity including the **National Resistance Front (NRF).**
- NRF is the opposition group of the Taliban.
- India should continue providing humanitarian assistance.
- India should rethink its student-visa policy for Afghan students.
- India stopped issuing visas for many Afghan students who were pursuing courses in India.
- Currently, 14000 Afghan students are enrolled in India.
- Historically, India has been the most favored destination for Afghan students with 60,000 of them having completed their studies in the last 16 years.
- This will augment Indian soft power in India.
- India could also get more leverage over the Taliban through these steps.

## Importance of Afghanistan:

- **Location:**
- Afghanistan is known as the roundabout of Asia.
- Through Afghanistan, one can access West Asia through Iran, South Asia through Pakistan, Central Asia through Tajikistan, and Southeast Asia through China.
- ![](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5801/ldselect/ldintrel/208/afghanistan-and-neighbours-v2.png)
- It is important to realize Indian strategic goals in erns of fostering closer ties between India, Central Asia, and Iran.

## Resources:

- Afghanistan is rich in mineral resources and fossil fuels.
- It is expected to possess a trillion-dollar worth of rare-earth minerals in its mountains.

## Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy:

- Pakistan's official policy is to seek **strategic depth in Afghanistan** in other words, Pakistan wants to have a puppet government in Afghanistan because:
- I. Pakistan suffers from a **security dilemma**( the source of the threat is another country).
- It is fearful that in case of a war with India if India has good relations with Afghanistan, it may open a second front against Pakistan.
- II. Pakistan also faces an **insecurity dilemma**( the source of threat is within the country, as the separatist demands of Pashtuns.
- The **Durand Line** is an imperial border drawn by the Britishers that had artificially divided the Pashtuns on either side of the Afghanistan - Pakistan border.
- These Pashtuns want to unify and create a Greater Pashtunistan.
- ![](https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/durand-line-pakistan-afghan-relations-stressed-due-to-a-pestering-wound-from-the-past.gif)
- If Pakistani Pahtuns of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan) seek to join Afghan Pashtuns, Pakistani territorial integrity would be threatened.
- This is why Pakistan supported Taliban rule in Kabul.

## TALIBAN 2.0 & PAKISTAN (6:00 PM):

- Though Rawalpindi(Pakistan Army headquarters) was initially triumphant after the Taliban's return to Kabul, the feeling was short-lived.
- Talibani's return emboldened Tehreek -E-Taliban Pakistan(TTP), which wants to establish an Islamic state in Pakistan.
- TTP has been engaged in many attacks in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
- ![](https://tuckmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dfbfhgmhjhjk.jl_-1-500x332.jpg)
- Afghan Taliban has acted as a mediator between Pakistan & TTP.
- Through the mediation, a ceasefire agreement was concluded.
- The agreement helped TTP is regrouping and rearming while making Pakistan give many concessions.
- this has strained relations between Kabul & Islamabad.
- The ceasefire agreement collapsed in November 2022.
- Today Pakistan faces regular terrorist attacks from groups like ISIS-Khorasan & TTP.
- Pakistan blames Afghanistan for harboring these terrorists against it.
- Thus, the monster of terrorism that Pakistan created has eventually come to harm it.

## Impact on India:

- Because of the strain on Taliban-Pakistan relations, the Taliban has increased its outreach to India to counter-balance Pakistan.

## China in Afghanistan:

- China wants to contrast the Peshawar-Kabul motorway to include Afghanistan in the Chinese Belt & Road Initiative (BRI).
- Until recently Kabul was reluctant as it was concerned with the reaction of the USA.
- China has made investments in Afghanistan.
- China seeks the support of the Taliban to control the **Uighur**insurgency in its **Xinjiang province.**
- **![](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/%2Fmethode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F403b06dc-ab7f-11e8-aa49-f23497b9293e.png?crop=720%2C480%2C0%2C0&resize=412)**
- Uygurs are also present in Afghanistan as part of the **ETIM-** East Turkestan Islamic Movement.
- Beijing seeks the support of Islamabad for productively engaging with the Taliban.
- China and Afghanistan are linked by the **Wakhan Corridor.**
- ![](https://i.dawn.com/primary/2018/02/5a7cd18c1e293.jpg)
- Taliban 1.0(1996-2001 reign) could not capture the Wakhan Corridor, but Taliban 2.0 (after 2021) captured it.
- Tajikistan, POK, Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan share a border with the Wakhan corridor.

## INDIA-BANGLADESH RELATIONS (6:30 PM):

- **Strategic location:**
- Bangladesh is located at a strategic wedge between Northeast India and the rest of India.
- India would benefit from a permanent transit agreement with Bangladesh which would help India overcome its **Chicken's Neck dilemma.**
- The Chicken's Neck or the **Siliguri Corridor** is 17 km wide at its narrowest point.
- ![](https://tfipost.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Chickens-neck.jpg)

## Security & development of North-east:

- Bangladesh provides a shorter route to the land-locked northeast.
- Bangladesh is its largest trade partner of India in South Asia.
- It acts as a land bridge for India's outreach to South-East Asia.
- Bangladesh is critical to Indian Initiatives such as **BIMSTEC** -Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
- ![](https://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1648718355_BIMSTEC_Drishti_IAS_English.png)
- Another such initiative is BBIN- (Bhutan-Bangladesh India & Nepal) Motor vehicle agreement.

## Phases in bilateral ties:

- |  |  |  |
  | --- | --- | --- |
  | **Phase of relation** | **Time period** | **Nature of relation** |
  | First | 1971-1975 | Very good |
  | Second | 1975-1990 | Lowest phase |
  | Third | 1990 onwards  (**Shonali Adhyay** after 2014) | Improvement in relations. |
- **The first phase-** 1971-1975:
- We had good relations with Bangladesh due to Indian help in the creation of Bangladesh.
- The India–Bangladesh Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Peace was signed on 19 March 1972.

## The second phase-

1975-1990:

- Relations soured after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the period of military rule in Bangladesh.
- In fact, the Bangladeshi foreign policy of the time was driven by the primary agenda of distancing themselves from India.

## Reasons for soured relations:

- At that period, the Bangladeshi army was mainly the repatriates of the Pakistani army that fought against India in 1971 and lost.
- There were some 26000 such expatriates.
- Bangladesh always had a strong communal undercurrent:
- The Muslim League was formed in Dhaka in 1906.
- Even during the 1971 war, there were certain sections that chose Islamic association with Pakistan over separate Bangladeshi identity.
- The Bangladeshi Army layer started portraying its  Islamic identity.
- General Rahman and later General Irshad brought communal amendments to the Bangladeshi constitution.
- It is an irony that despite Indian pivotal role in the independence of Bangladesh, there is a lack of bipartisan consensus with respect to their relations with India.
- Relations improve when Awami League is in power and relations deteriorate when the BNP comes to power.
- China on the other hand enjoys bipartisan consensus in Bangladesh.
- China did not recognize Bangladesh till 1976.

## THE THIRD PHASE:1990 ONWARDS (7:00 PM):

- After democracy returned to Bangladesh, we saw the betterment of relations.
- 1991-1996- BNP rule.
- 1996-2001- Awami League rule.
- 2001-2006- BNP rule.
- 2006-2009- Caretaker government.
- Awami League goth three consecutive election victories in 2009, 2014, and 2019.
- The recent three consecutive reigns of the Awami League are referred to as Golden Chapter in India-Bangaldesh relations or **Shonali Adhyay.**
- **PM Sheikh Hasina**has identified India-Bangkadesh relations to represent a model of good neighborliness.
- This is because India and Bangladesh are cooperating in conventional as well as non-conventional areas.
- Conventional areas- Health, Economics, people-people ties
- Non-Conventional areas- Civil Nuclear energy, Cyber connectivity, etc.
- Statement of Minister of External Affairs **S Jaishankar**- "Few countries in the world share such close fraternal ties."

## Pieces of evidence of the Golden Phase in Bilateral ties:

- **First Evidence: Land Boundary Agreement 2015:**
- Through this, the two countries settled 6.5 kilometers of un-demarcated borders.
- A similar framework was signed in 1974, but t could not be implemented.
- Issues of **Adverse Possessions** arise because of rivers changing their courses given the riverine nature of a part of the India-Bangladesh border.
- **Exchange of enclaves-**Each other's territorial enclaves are present in another country.
- This agreement was operationalized through the **100th Constitution amendment** act.
- The enclaves were swapped allowing the residents to choose citizenship of either of the countries.
- |  |
  | --- |
  | **Adverse Possessions:**  - Indian “adverse possession” refers to territory within Indian control, which is legally part of Bangladesh. - Residents of these adverse possessions are Indian citizens. - The same applies to Bangladeshi adverse possessions. - The reasons were seasonal changes in river courses and the fact that a good part of the India-Bangladesh border is riverine in nature. |
  | **Land Enclaves:**  - It is a term used for the territory of one state that is completely surrounded by the territory of another state. - It can be understood as a land island of a country, surrounded on all sides by the land ocean of another country. - There were also some Second-degree or Third-degree enclaves which meant a portion of India was surrounded by a portion of Bangladesh which was itself surrounded by another portion of India, etc. - The origin of such a situation is believed to be due to the fact that the  **Maharaja of Cooch Behar** (presently in West Bengal) and **Faujdar of Rangpur** (presently in Bangladesh) wagered on these territories in their chess games and each lost many villages to the other. |
- We need no constitutional amendment for settling boundary disputes with other nations and only executive order is enough.
- The **100th Constitutional Amendment** was needed due to the issue of Land Enclaves.
- The LBA  led to the transfer of 111 enclaves to Bangladesh while Bangladesh transferred 51 enclaves to India.

## Second evidence:  Maritime Boundary Settlement 2014:

- India did not contest the ruling of the **Permanent Court of Arbitration's**ruling that settled the dispute in favor of Bangladesh.
- It recognized the territorial rights of over 19,500 square kilometers of the adjoining Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh.

## Third evidence: Actions against insurgents

- Shiekh Hasina's government adopted a ==zero-tolerance policy==against Indian insurgents in Bangladesh.
- Her government dismantled their camps, arrested and extradited their leaders to India.

## Fourth Evidence: Connectivity:

- A direct Bus-service has been launched between Kolkata and Agartala via Bangladesh.
- It reduces the distance by 66%.
- Bangladesh has allowed the use of **Chattogram and Mongla** ports for the shipment of goods to and from North-East India.
- Recently, the **Maitri Setu (Friendship Bridge) ( 1.9 km long)** was inaugurated linking Sabroom in Tripura to Ramgarh In Bangladesh.
- ![](https://www.icwa.in/WriteReadData/RTF1984/2317458454.jpg)
- A **Friendship pipeline**from Assam's **Numaligarh**oil refinery to **Parvatipur**in Bangladesh is near completion.
- ![](https://www.businessinsiderbd.com/media/imgAll/2020October/en/India-bangladesh-friendship-pipeline-EN-2106141551.png)
- Bangladesh has indicated its interest to join **India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway.**
- **![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/India%E2%80%93Myanmar%E2%80%93Thailand_Trilateral_Highway.svg/453px-India%E2%80%93Myanmar%E2%80%93Thailand_Trilateral_Highway.svg.png)**

## Fifth Evidence: Drinking water:

- Bangladesh has allowed the use of water from the **Feni River** to meet the drinking(potable) water needs of Sabroom town in Tripura.

## Sixth Evidence: Infrastructure:

- Coal-Fired power plants are to be set up in Khulna in Bangladesh.
- India, Bangladesh, and Russia have concluded a trilateral agreement to develop the **Rooppur Nuclear Power plant**in Bangladesh.

## Seventh Evidence: Trade:

- Bangladesh is India's largest trading trade partner in South Asia.
- Indis is the largest export market of Bangladesh.
- After 2015, China is the largest trade partner of Bangladesh.
- In the Financial Year 2022, our bilateral trade stood at 418 billion.
- We have decided to conclude a **CEPA**- Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by 2026.
- The Least Developed Country (LDC) Status for Bangladesh would expire in 2026.
- That would end the duty-free, quota-free trade with India.
- The two countries want to conclude CEPA by 2026.
- According to **World Bank,**CEPA would increase Bangladeshi exports to India by 182 %.
- Along with other trade facilitation measures, It could push India-Bangladesh trade by 300%.

## DEFENCE COOPERATION(7:30 PM):

- An MOU on the framework of defense cooperation has been concluded between India and Bangladesh.
- China also has a defense cooperation agreement with Bangladesh.
- China is the only country with which Bangladesh has a defense agreement, mainly due to its Pakistan legacy.
- India has provided a $500 million **line of credit** to Bangladesh for defense imports.

## Bilateral Issues between India and Bangladesh:

## Rohingya issue:

- They are believed to be of Bangladeshi origin and settled in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.
- They had been severely persecuted by the Junta regimes of Myanmar.
- They are also referred to as "Boat people", as they mainly use boats to flee to Bangladesh and Thailand.
- Around a million refugees have found shelters(mainly in Cox Bazaar) in Bangladesh which has created economic and security pressures for it.
- Thus, Bangladesh has insisted that India presses the issue with Myanmar to take back its citizens.
- However, India fearing that any such pressure would only push Myanmar more towards China has not undertaken such a diplomatic endeavor.
- Instead, it provided food tranches as humanitarian assistance to lessen the pressure on the state of Bangladesh.

## Trade Deficit:

- Our bilateral trade in 2020-2021 was more than $ 18 billion.
- Out of this, Indian exports account for $ 16 billion and Bangladeshi exports are only around$ 2 billion.
- So Bangladesh experiences a trade deficit of $ 14 billion.
- Bangladesh has been classified as a Least Developed Country(LDC) till 2026.
- The status accords many trade benefits as no duties are levied on their goods.
- Bangladesh is apprehensive about the trade deficit after 2026.

## Steps that were taken by India:

- India has provided lines of credit along with grants for assistance to Bangladesh.
- Bangladesh enjoys duty-free, quota-free trade agreements under **SAFTA(South Asia Free Trade Agreement( 2011).**
- Three SEZs have been notified in Bangladesh to encourage Indian manufacturers to manufacture in Bangladesh and export to India.
- Bangladesh's designation as LDC will expire in 2026 and the benefits of duty-free, quota-free trade access will come to an end.
- To continue Bangladesh's privileged access to Indian markets, both countries want to conclude CEPA ( Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) before 2026.

## River water sharing :

- India and Bangladesh share 54 transboundary rivers.
- Till now, an agreement has been signed over Ganga water sharing.
- An MOU has been signed in September 2022 for the **Kushiyara River,** under which Bangladesh can use 135 cusecs out of 2500 cusecs.
- 1 cusec indicates 28.32 Litres of water flowing per second.

## Ganga River Sharing Agreement 1996:

- **Context of the agreement:**
- The **Farakka Barrage**was built on Ganga in 1975.
- ![](https://www.thethirdpole.net/content/uploads/2017/01/Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna_basins.jpg)
- The motive was to divert water to Ganga tributary Hooghly to was to reduce siltation and maintain the navigability of **Kolkata port**.
- Bangladesh says that during monsoon, the sluice gates of Farakka barrage are opened which causes flooding downstream, while Bangladesh faces drought during the dry season

## Provisions of the treaty:

- The agreement is applicable for the lean period of the river- from 1st January to 31st May.
- The agreement was to be valid for 30 years and it is about to expire in 2026.

  |  |  |  |
  | --- | --- | --- |
  | **Availability of water** | **Bangladesh's share** | **Indian share** |
  | Flow is below 70,000 cusecs | 50% of the flow | 50% of the flow |
  | Flow is between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs | 35,000 cusecs | The remaining flow |
  | Flow is more than 75,000 cusecs | The remaining flow | 40,000 cusecs |

## Bangladesh's grievances:

- The treaty is based on outdated hydrological data and Ganga's flow seldom crosses 70,000 cusecs.
- Studies have shown that India has many times( more than 60 ) not fulfilled its obligations during drought phases.
- The treaty is based on a ==reductionist approach==, making the issue unidimensional and only based on volumetric river flow.
- A river performs multidimensional functions - WEBS services- Water, Ecosystem, Biodiversity & Sediments.
- Such an approach neglects the ecosystem services provided by the river.

## Conclusion:

- The treaty's imminent expiry when the leadership in both countries are well entrenched to provide an opportunity to adequately revise this treaty.
- Various mechanisms can be explored as an improvement over the current river-water sharing agreement.

## Teesta River:

- It originates in Sikkim and flows through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
- In Bangladesh, it is a tributary of Brahmaputra.
- ![](https://ascelibrary.org/cms/asset/0d3e945f-a3e4-4dfe-a050-44231e13f3ab/figure5.gif)  
  **Importance of Teesta River for Bangladesh:**
- It covers 14 % of the total cropped area of Bangladesh and provides direct livelihood opportunities to 7.3 % of the Bangladeshi population.

## Importance of Teesta River for India:

- Teesta is the lifeline of North Bengal and almost half a dozen districts depend on Teesta water.

## Previous attempts at sharing Teesta River waters :

- **In 1983, there was an Ad-hoc agreement** (valid for two years) was signed.
- Under it, India's share was 39% of the river water flow, while Bangladesh was awarded 36%, and the remaining 25% of the water would flow freely into the Bay of Bengal or Brahmaputra.

In

## 2011, an interim agreement

to be valid for 15 years was put forth/proposed.

- According to it, India’s share would be 42.5 %, Bangladesh’s share would be 37.5 % and the remaining 20 % would remain unallocated.
- However, the agreement could not be finalized because of opposition from the State of West Bengal.

## The demand of Bangladesh:

- It demands near equitable sharing of Teesta’s river water.

## Stand of India:

- Since 71% of the watershed and the majority of its floodplains of Teesta lie in India, Bangladesh cannot demand equitable sharing.
- The flow of the river has decreased because of global warming.
- Many of the glaciers of the Teesta River have retreated/shrunk.
- The Chief Minister Of West Bengal has proposed sharing of other cross-border rivers such as Torsa, Manshai, Sankosh, etc.
- India and Bangladesh have signed an MOU on the Kushiyara River which is a distributary of the Barak River.

## The topic for the next class is the continuation of India-Bangladesh bilateral issues.