<div>Many in India will be disappointed that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s first state visit to India did not yield spectacular results; no bilateral agreements were signed and no grand announcements made on defence or strategic cooperation. However, there were important outcomes. The two sides decided to sign within the next three months a string of pacts, including an extradition treaty, a treaty for mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters and a motor vehicles agreement. These may not seem as sensational as military deals but their implications are far-reaching. The proposed Motor Vehicles Agreement, for instance, will facilitate the entry of Afghan and Indian passenger and cargo vehicles into each other’s territory. This can go a long way in boosting overland trade between the two countries. Ghani’s reference to Rabindranath Tagore’s Kabuliwallah is significant. He was underscoring the need to revive the old Kabul to Kolkata overland trade route. Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed support for this vision, declaring that India is ready to receive Afghan trucks at Attari on the India-Pakistan border. Clearly, India and Afghanistan are in sync on the issue of opening up overland trade. But realisation of this dream requires Pakistan to permit Indian vehicles to transit through its territory. Can Islamabad summon the vision to make this happen? After all, it stands to gain too from overland regional trade.<br /><br />There is concern in India over Ghani’s reaching out to Pakistan and China. Such anxieties have deepened with Ghani downplaying relations with India by putting off his Delhi visit and shelving a deal with India for delivery of military hardware. However, India must note that Ghani’s overtures to Pakistan are not aimed at undermining India but at getting Islamabad to prod the Taliban to the negotiation table. A peace settlement in Afghanistan, which Ghani is hoping to achieve with Pakistan and China’s help, is in the region’s interests. Regional trade and co-operation, which India is eyeing, will thrive.<br /><br />The question is whether Ghani’s expectations of Pakistan will be met. Pakistan has done nothing so far to indicate that it is genuinely committed to reconciliation in Afghanistan. This should worry India for so long as relations between Kabul and Islamabad remain troubled, India will not be able to realise the full potential of its ambitions for trade with Afghanistan. The Kabul-Kolkata trade route will then remain a dream. Rather than worry over Ghani’s overtures to Pakistan, India must encourage it. Ghani’s visit to Delhi should prompt Pakistan to take note of exciting opportunities ahead.</div>
<div>Many in India will be disappointed that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s first state visit to India did not yield spectacular results; no bilateral agreements were signed and no grand announcements made on defence or strategic cooperation. However, there were important outcomes. The two sides decided to sign within the next three months a string of pacts, including an extradition treaty, a treaty for mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters and a motor vehicles agreement. These may not seem as sensational as military deals but their implications are far-reaching. The proposed Motor Vehicles Agreement, for instance, will facilitate the entry of Afghan and Indian passenger and cargo vehicles into each other’s territory. This can go a long way in boosting overland trade between the two countries. Ghani’s reference to Rabindranath Tagore’s Kabuliwallah is significant. He was underscoring the need to revive the old Kabul to Kolkata overland trade route. Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed support for this vision, declaring that India is ready to receive Afghan trucks at Attari on the India-Pakistan border. Clearly, India and Afghanistan are in sync on the issue of opening up overland trade. But realisation of this dream requires Pakistan to permit Indian vehicles to transit through its territory. Can Islamabad summon the vision to make this happen? After all, it stands to gain too from overland regional trade.<br /><br />There is concern in India over Ghani’s reaching out to Pakistan and China. Such anxieties have deepened with Ghani downplaying relations with India by putting off his Delhi visit and shelving a deal with India for delivery of military hardware. However, India must note that Ghani’s overtures to Pakistan are not aimed at undermining India but at getting Islamabad to prod the Taliban to the negotiation table. A peace settlement in Afghanistan, which Ghani is hoping to achieve with Pakistan and China’s help, is in the region’s interests. Regional trade and co-operation, which India is eyeing, will thrive.<br /><br />The question is whether Ghani’s expectations of Pakistan will be met. Pakistan has done nothing so far to indicate that it is genuinely committed to reconciliation in Afghanistan. This should worry India for so long as relations between Kabul and Islamabad remain troubled, India will not be able to realise the full potential of its ambitions for trade with Afghanistan. The Kabul-Kolkata trade route will then remain a dream. Rather than worry over Ghani’s overtures to Pakistan, India must encourage it. Ghani’s visit to Delhi should prompt Pakistan to take note of exciting opportunities ahead.</div>
