India in Afghanistan: a test case for a rising power

India's role is seen as crucial for the long-term stability of Afghanistan, and India realizes that a stable, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan is also in its strategic interests. This article examines the trends in India's ties with Afghanistan in the past few years and argues that, driven by its growing regional and global ambitions, India is following a multi-pronged strategy in Afghanistan. A range of factors are propelling India towards an unusually proactive policy towards Afghanistan, and the success of India's Afghanistan policy will go a long way in determining whether India will be able to emerge as a provider of regional security in South Asia. First, a very brief historical overview of IndiaAfghanistan relations is followed by the delineation of trends in this bilateral relationship. Subsequently, an analysis of Indian strategic interests in Afghanistan is presented and placed in the broader regional strategic context.