Afghanistan is more than a rugged landscape — it is a strategic crossroads. When it collapses, it becomes a vacuum for regional power plays. For over forty years, India has been accused of using this space to wage hybrid operations against Pakistan.
During the Soviet occupation, India supported the Kabul regime, allowing Afghan territory to serve as a base for anti-Pakistan groups, including the BLA. After 2001, under the banner of reconstruction, India invested billions in Afghanistan, built major projects, and expanded its network of embassies and consulates — many located close to Pakistan’s borders. These facilities reportedly became operational hubs for funding and guiding militant proxies.
The Taliban’s return in 2021 left Afghanistan fragile and ungoverned. Armed with NATO weapons, the TTP intensified its cross-border actions. In 2022, India reopened its Kabul embassy, sparking renewed concerns over the use of Afghan soil to support hostile groups.
Analysts argue that unless Afghanistan gains stability and the international community addresses these proxy dynamics, the cycle of shadow conflict will persist — threatening not only Afghanistan and Pakistan but the wider region.
