NSA Chief Ajith Doval
On November 10 India is set to host over six countries at a high level regional security dialogue concerning Afghanistan, two months after the Taliban takeover. The meeting will be held at the National Security Level and will be chaired by NSA head Ajit Doval next week
India had formally invited the NSAs of Russia, Iran, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for the conference. Pakistan has declined the invitation and China is yet to respond as per reports.
Speaking to ANI, retired Major General and defence expert P.K Sehgal said that the meeting was 'absolutely important' for India. "India has got deep relations with Afghanistan. They have got economic interests, diplomatic, political and as well as security implications," he said. "As far as the relationship with Afghanistan is concerned, India does not want Afghanistan, under any circumstance, to carry out any terrorist activities against India."
Two earlier meetings in this format were held in Iran in September 2018 and December 2019. The third meeting in India could not be held earlier due to the pandemic. Sehgal said that the response to India's invitation was overwhelming and that it was a great initiative to bring together Central Asian security heads on the subject of Afghanistan.