... players, both internal and external, who are seeking to fill the void left by the Americans and their allies. Pakistan, India, Iran, Turkey, China and Russia seem poised to play the next “
great game
” in the so-called “
graveyard of empires
”. Some of these states have a vested interest in the stability of Afghanistan to ensure regional security and foster economic interests as well as mitigate the spread of extremism and narcotics ...
... actually do it. The thing is, if we do not see any real steps made in the intra-Afghan process, then the Americans will find it increasingly difficult to put on a happy face. This is what makes the joint call of the special representatives of Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan for foreign troops in Afghanistan to “withdraw in an orderly and responsible manner to ensure a smooth transition” published on May 18, 2020, particularly relevant. Both the government of Afghanistan and U.S. officials have made it clear that they are ready to open the ...
... currently laying a gas pipeline with an annual capacity of 12.4 billion cubic metres from a terminal in Karachi to Lahore. Although the actual entry point for the pipeline is Gwadar, it is possible that Karachi will be used to transit gas to China.
Iran’s energy partnership with China could transform into a political partnership, effectively cutting India off from Central Asia and Afghanistan.
India’s possible withdrawal from the project could also have a number of negative consequences for both New Delhi and Moscow. Under the worst-case scenario, India may lose all of its pipeline gas delivery projects, in which Pakistan is ...