Miscellaneous
In this episode of Interpreting India, Avinash Paliwal and Thomas Ruttig join Deep Pal to analyze the present situation in Afghanistan, what the implications of the U.S. withdrawal might be, and what this might mean for India and other countries involved. Episode Background:The withdrawal of the United States and its NATO allies from Afghanistan has led to concerns over the Kabul government’s ability to survive in the face of an aggressive Taliban onslaught. The peace process, which the U.S. had initiated between the Taliban and the Afghan government, has also stalled without achieving a settlement. While President Ghani has asserted that the government forces are prepared to meet the challenges that the withdrawal presents, analysts remain pessimistic about the possibilities. Episode Contributors:Avinash Paliwal is a senior lecturer in International Relations and deputy director of the SOAS South Asia Institute | Twitter: @PaliwalAviThomas Ruttig is co-founder and co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network | Twitter: @thruttigDeep Pal is a visiting fellow in the Asia program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Twitter: @DeepPal_Episode Timestamps: 2:26 The Current Situation and Prospects for Peace8:48 On the Possibility of a Power-Sharing Agreement 16:01 The Taliban and its Factions, and the India-Pakistan Dyad54:58 On the Role of Other Countries and Players57:40 Where is the Conflict Headed?Further Reading: A Troika of Four: Looking back at the March 2021 Afghanistan meeting in Moscow by Thomas RuttigAfghanistan After the US Withdrawal: An Elusive Peace by Thomas RuttigEngaging with the Taliban is Necessary by Avinash PaliwalSino twist to Af-Pak puzzle: Given China’s Forays, India’s Afghanistan Strategy Must Look at Iran, Taliban, and Even Pakistan by Avinash PaliwalMy Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the US by Avinash Paliwal