Map3.6-Afghanistan

2.1. Background

♤ Relations between the people of Afghanistan and India traces to the Indus Valley Civilisation.

♤ The Durand Line is the 2,430-kilometre International border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Sir Mortimer Durand had drawn this line in 1893 between Afghanistan and then British India, which later got divided into two countries India and Pakistan in 1947.

♤ The Durand Line cuts through the Pashtun tribal areas and further south through the Balochistan region. It politically divides ethnic Pashtuns, as well as the Baloch and other ethnic groups, who live on both sides of the border in Afghanistan as well as in Pakistan.

♤ During the Soviet intervention (1979-89), India was the only South Asian nation to recognise the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. India also provided humanitarian aid to then Afghan President Najibullah's government. Following the withdrawal of the Soviet forces, India continued to with humanitarian aid.