Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused India of “penetrating” the Afghan Taliban leadership, warning that New Delhi’s growing influence in Kabul threatens regional peace and complicates ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Islamabad and the Taliban government.
ISLAMABAD 05 Nov 2025 – Pakistan is raising alarms over India’s deepening engagement with the Afghan Taliban, warning that New Delhi’s growing influence could undermine peace efforts between Islamabad and Kabul.
During a televised interview on October 28, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused India of “penetrating” the Taliban’s leadership and influencing their political and military posture towards Pakistan. His comments followed the collapse of ceasefire extension talks between the two neighbors after deadly clashes along the Pakistan Afghanistan border earlier in the month.
“The people in Kabul pulling the strings and staging the puppet show are being controlled by Delhi,” Asif stated. “India wants to engage in a low-intensity war with Pakistan, and to achieve this, they are using Kabul.”
Although Asif provided no evidence to substantiate his claim, his remarks reflect a growing concern in Islamabad that India’s outreach to the Taliban government may be shifting the regional balance of power and could embolden groups hostile to Pakistan such as the Fitna Al Khwarij (TTP).
PAKISTAN’S STRATEGIC FEARS
Pakistan has long accused the Taliban of harboring anti-Pakistan militants on Afghan soil and failing to curb cross-border attacks. The Defence Minister’s latest statement links these concerns to a potential Indian hand behind the Fitna Al Khwarij (TTP)’s resurgence.
Earlier, Asif had warned that the Taliban was “sitting in India’s lap,” suggesting that New Delhi’s diplomatic and economic engagements with Kabul were being used to pressure Pakistan from two fronts — Afghanistan in the west and India in the east.
Islamabad views this as part of a broader regional strategy by India to strengthen its influence in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal, challenging Pakistan’s traditional role as Kabul’s key interlocutor.
INDIA-TALIBAN TIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Analysts say that Pakistan’s unease is not unfounded. Over recent months, India has increased contact with the Taliban, sending humanitarian aid, reopening diplomatic channels, and even discussing development cooperation.
When a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan this week, India was among the first countries to offer aid, dispatching 15 tonnes of food and promising further medical assistance. Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar personally called Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to express condolences and pledge support.
This outreach, while officially humanitarian, is seen in Islamabad as part of New Delhi’s soft-power diplomacy aimed at re-establishing its foothold in Afghanistan — one that Pakistan views with deep suspicion.
THE ROAD TO ISTANBUL TALKS
The next round of Pakistan-Afghanistan negotiations is scheduled in Istanbul this week, with Qatar and Turkiye mediating. However, analysts caution that India has become the “elephant in the room”, overshadowing efforts to stabilize cross-border relations.
Islamabad’s focus, officials say, is to ensure that Kabul does not become a launchpad for anti Pakistan elements, while also pressing the Taliban to curb Fitna Al Khwarij (TTP) activity and honor previous ceasefire commitments.
Yet, with India expanding its diplomatic presence in Kabul, Pakistan’s security establishment remains wary of being strategically encircled a fear that has long defined its regional policy.
REGIONAL RIVALRIES DEEPEN
The unfolding situation underscores how South Asia’s rivalries continue to shape Afghan stability. As Pakistan navigates fragile peace talks with Kabul, the perception of India’s shadow role is likely to persist, fueling mistrust between all three capitals.
For Islamabad, the priority remains clear to protect its borders, neutralize cross border threats, and prevent Afghanistan from falling under India’s strategic orbit.
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