Strategic Importance of Afghanistan
Being a landlocked country, Afghanistan was a key focal point in ancient Silk Road. Its strategic importance can be understood by the following:
Pipeline Routes
The country is located strategically adjacent to the oil and gas rich Middle East & Central Asia giving it an important geostrategic location. Though the country itself is not energy rich, but its position along with Iran and Turkmenistan makes it important. We note here that Turkmenistan has one of the largest Gas reserves in the world. This gas can be marketed only via pipelines. These pipelines can easily connect South Asia to Central Asia. One example is the proposed Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (or TAPI). It this pipeline sees the light of the day, it will be equivalent to a modern Silk Road. Thus, Afghanistan becomes an attractive real estate for dominance on the pipeline routes.
Natural Resources
Afghanistan is rich in natural resources such as previous metals and minerals.
Regional Balance of Power
When Afghanistan was invaded by US in 2001, its objectives were to oust Taliban and control of natural resources of Afghanistan. There was also an agenda to prevent Russian and Chinese hegemony in Central Asia. Similarly, Russia would maintain Afghanistan as bulwark to protect its vulnerable southern border from illegal narcotics and Islamic extremism. Thus, since ages, Afghanistan has become a centre of power struggle between super powers.
Regional Security in South Asia
A stable Afghanistan is important for regional security in South Asia including India. For India, a Taliban dominated Afghanistan is safe haven for separatists and terrorists. Afghanistan is also important for India’s energy security, looking at prospects of a TAPI or similar pipeline. Further, India has big economic stakes in the country. India has committed huge economic assistance for developmental purposes in Afghanistan. India has also signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement, in which India agreed to assist in the training and equipping of Afghan security forces.
Afghanistan is also important for Internal Security and stability of Pakistan. Pakistan is severely affected by the extremists and militant threats from its Afghanistan bordered area. Successive regimes in Pakistan have tried their best to impose a favorable government in Afghanistan but those ventures have harmed them only in the long terms.
For China, the importance of Afghanistan becomes evident from the internal security in Xinjiang region. There are claims of links between Al Qaeda and Xinjiang Islamic terrorist organizations. For Iran, Afghanistan is important because it would like to see it free from US. Iran, Russia, India, China and Pakistan, each of them are worried also because of the inflow of opium and other narcotics from Golden Crescent of Afghanistan.
