China's Strategic Grouping with the Taliban, Pakistan and Bangladesh: A Growing Strategic Dilemma for India in the Region

In the wake of the shifting regional power dynamics, the emerging alliance between China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Taliban is a warning call for India to give more emphasis on engaging with the region.

- SANJAY TURI

Ignoring China's multilateral engagement with the neighboring countries will pose a significant threat to India's strategic interests in the region.

In light of India's Operation Sindoor post Pahalgam Attack, the Chinese government hosted a meeting between Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban government led by Ishaq Dar and Amir Khan Muttaqi, respectively. India's earlier dream of benefiting from the rising conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban seems to have shattered as the Taliban has stepped towards joining the China-led CPEC projects. In addition to the Taliban's recent association with BRI, China's simultaneous multilateral engagements with Pakistan and Bangladesh appear to have paved the way for the establishment of an anti-India bloc in the region. It has sent a shockwave to Delhi regarding the future bilateral relations between Delhi and Kabul, as well as Dhaka.

The geopolitical dynamics of South and Central Asia are now poised for a notable shift with the Taliban's recent decision to officially join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Inaugurated in 2015 as a key project under China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), CPEC bridges China's Xinjiang region with Pakistan's Gwadar Port. With Afghanistan's recent aspiration to join this crucial infrastructure network under the Taliban government, India is likely to face a significant strategic challenge in the entire Central Asian region. For New Delhi, which has historically held strong economic and diplomatic relations with Afghanistan, this decision of Kabul poses a significant threat to India's strategic influence in the region and raises major concerns regarding encirclement and influence.