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A Seminar on "Af-Pak Faultlines: Takeaways for India"(with HQ IDS).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               SEMINAR PROGRAMMED

                                                                                                                                                                                                        ‘AF-PAK FAULTLINES : TAKEAWAYS FOR INDIA’

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       02 FEB 2024

Ser 

Session 1

(1000 to 1145h)

1

1000 – 1005 h

Welcome Remarks –

Maj Gen PK Goswami, VSM (Retd),

Offg DG USI

2

1005 – 1015 h

Introductory Remarks –

Moderator –

Maj Gen RS Yadav, VSM (Retd),

Director CS3

3

1015 – 1030 h

Afghanistan under Taliban and its Global and Regional Relevance : An Overview

Ambassador Jayant Prasad, IFS (Retd)

4

1030 – 1045 h

Internal Security Dynamics of a Talibanised Afghanistan

Brigadier Saurabh Sharma

5

1045 – 1100 h

The Dynamics Astride Durand Line

Shri Tilak Devasher

6

1100 – 1115 h

Pak – Taliban Relations, Convergences & Divergences : Afghan Perspective

Captain (Dr) Alok Bansal, IN

7

1115 – 1130 h

Pak – Taliban Relations, Convergences & Divergences : Pak Perspective

Ambassador Ajay Bisaria, IFS (Retd)

8

1130 – 1145 h

Afghanistan in China’s Security Calculus : Challenges and Prospects

Ambassador Ashok K Kantha, IFS (Retd)

Tea Break 

(1145 – 1200 h)

Ser 

Time

Event

Remarks 

Session 2

(1200 – 1330 h)

9

1205 – 1235 h

Policy Recommendations  regards steps India needs to take to regain its Strategic Space in Afghanistan and the Region ( to cover  Diplomatic, Security, Cultural, Economic and Infrastructure Assistance)

Each Panelist to give his views crisply in 5 min each,

10

1235 – 1315 h                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Open House for Audience

11

1315 – 1330 h

Summing Up and Vote of Thanks by Moderator-

Maj Gen RS Yadav, VSM (Retd), Director CS3

Key Takeaways:

1. On 02nd Feb 2024, The United Service Institution of India (USI) and the Center for Strategic Studies and Simulation (CS3) organized a seminar on the topic ‘Af-Pak Faultline’s- Policy Recommendations’. The welcome remarks were delivered by Maj Gen PK Goswami, VSM (Retd),Offg DG USI. Emphasizing, the tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are not new and have been ongoing for decades, the conflict has revealed major problems connected to a complicated web of historical, ethical, and strategic issues with its primary frontier stemming from the faultiness of the Durand line as a fundamental issue in the region, intricately woven into the geopolitical contestations since 1947.

1. The Introductory and Closing Remarks were given by Maj Gen Rajendra Singh Yadav, VSM (Retd), Director CS3. He dwelled on the confluence of challenges the world has witnessed in the aftermath of the US withdrawal, such as disruptions in global supply chains, and the changing economic landscape with a focus on deglobulisation and technological orientation. Amid these changes, the geopolitical significance of a peaceful neighborhood becomes crucial for India, particularly in light of complex relations with neighbors like China and Pakistan. With global dynamics leaning towards multipolarity, the situation in Afghanistan, once viewed as a strategic depth for Pakistan, now requires India's proactive engagement and to explore strategies to regain lost ground and reshape the narrative in the ever-important region, considering the uncertainties surrounding Afghanistan's inter-regional dynamics and its strategic significance for nations like China.

1. The key themes discussed in the seminar were- Afghanistan under Taliban and its Global and Regional Relevance, Internal Security Dynamics of a Talibanized Afghanistan, The Dynamics Astride Durand Line, Pak – Taliban Relations, Convergences & Divergences: Afghan Perspective, Pak – Taliban Relations, Convergences & Divergences: Pak Perspective, Afghanistan in China’s Security Calculus: Challenges and Prospects followed by policy recommendations.

1. Reasserting, the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan indicates their sustained presence and gradual consolidation of paradox in both ideological and geographical realms. In re-evaluating India-Afghanistan relations, careful considerations within existing realities are vital for rebuilding ties for substantial fore-standing ground. The discussion concluded with a brief Q&A Round.