The recent media campaign within Pakistan blaming Indian agency RAW for blasts and killings and telling Afghanistan about alleged Indian hand in recent attacks, many of which though bear a clear mark of Talban, has shown that there is a planned campaign to smear India’s image abroad. ISI-Afghan deal, if implemented the Afghan intelligence agency would be doing what ISI has been doing internally in Pakistan, which is an uncomfortable development. Afghan by shifting its stand is hoping to rope in Pakistan in its war against Taliban. Seeing the media reports and opposition at home Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani was quick in clarifying the situation and negated the pact; even former President Hamid Karzai too was in public raising the opposition for such an agreement. With American forces pulling out of that country, the changing security scenario in the region and there being no respite in the war against terror, leaning towards Pakistan looks quite logical. But the worst strategically hit would be India. India has high stake in rebuilding the militancy ravaged country as counter measure to bring down Pakistan’s influence. India too paid heavy price fighting Islamic militancy exported by Pakistan. India needs to maintain a strong presence in the region keeping its historic ties with that country since time immemorial. It is imperative that the reality dawns on our policy makers in New Delhi and are able to fathom the depth and implications of such an ideology gripping India, with many sleeping cells of militants within the country yet to be activated. India has to refocus its anti-terror and foreign policies to decide the new strategies to contain the spread of such organisations to protect its citizens and assets within the country and abroad. The change must begin at the earliest. There should be a contingency plan to counter a situation like this.
