Can India-Iran alliance bring peace in Afghanistan?

Santosh Mehrotra, an Indian professor said, India and Iran ‑ two emerging Asian powers ‑ can play a key role in establishing peace in Afghanistan, he was talking to The Tehran Times. 

Mehrotra said, “This regional role might emerge if there was a strong role of Iran and India in a transition to peace and progressive development in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban's whole effort would be to prevent that, so that they can keep the support of Pakistan.”

“Both Iran and India can be forces for good in Afghanistan, where peace and development will benefit all the people of Afghanistan.” the visiting professor in the Center for Economic Development at the University of Bath noted.

Talking about India’s economic rise amid the China-US row in Asia,  Mehrotra said, “This balancing act for India would have been easier if China's rise as an economic and military power was accompanied by less, not more, aggressiveness in international affairs. But China's behavior has become more aggressive in many dimensions in Asia and the world. India was left with little choice to joining with the Quad (United States, Japan, Australia and India). China's entering Ladakh territory in 2020 totally disturbed the border equilibrium between India and China prevailing for decades. 

“India and Iran have historically enjoyed very close and warm relations. This has been evident in the long-standing economic relations, especially, India's long agreements to import Iran oil. The US sanctions against Iran have queered this pitch, unfortunately. Nevertheless, India still pressed ahead with the agreement on the Chabahar port development project. With the 2020 election result in the US, the likelihood of US sanctions on Iran continuing may diminish. This will again enable a further deepening of the Indo-Iran ties, which have centuries-old and deep historical roots,” Mehrotra added
 
As regards, Asian emerging powers like Iran, Turkey and India forming a coalition, Mehrotra said, “Asian emerging powers can have a regional role. This regional role might emerge if there was a strong role of Iran and India in a transition to peace and progressive development in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban's whole effort would be to prevent that, so that they can keep the support of Pakistan. Both Iran and India can be forces for good in Afghanistan, where peace and development will benefit all the people of Afghanistan.”