<p>The just-concluded Heart of Asia (HoA) conference that India hosted at Amritsar prioritised the fight against terrorism and radicalism. The Amritsar Declaration was forthright in its rejection of “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” and described it as “the gravest challenge” confronting the HoA region and the rest of the world. Previous HoA conferences were rather reticent about identifying by name the terrorist groups behind the bloodletting in Afghanistan; they named only the al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. The Amritsar Declaration not only named these two jihadist groups but also the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkistan Islamic Movement, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Jundullah etc. The list of groups named in the final declaration is noteworthy for two reasons. This is the first time that a HoA declaration names Pakistan-backed and based terror groups like the Haqqani Network, LeT and JeM. The LeT and JeM target India rather than Afghanistan and while Pakistan is likely to have opposed their naming in the declaration, it managed to get the TTP included. Clearly, participants at the HoA conference battled hard to further their own interests. Importantly, the declaration’s wording is such that it avoids describing the Taliban as a terrorist group. This is, perhaps, aimed at facilitating the Afghan government’s ongoing efforts at negotiating a peace settlement with the Taliban.<br /><br />While calling on governments to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries and disrupt all support for terrorist groups, the Amritsar Declaration refrained from naming Pakistan. However, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani did not pull his punches. In his speech, he called out Pakistan for its “selective displacement” of terrorist networks and snubbed the country’s offer of US$ 500 million in development funds, saying that Pakistan could put this money to better use by containing extremism emanating from its soil. Ghani’s stinging remark stemmed from his frustration with Pakistan. But his observation also underscored the fact that Afghan reconstruction cannot make much headway so long as Pakistan-backed terror continues to bleed Afghanistan. <br /><br />Close cooperation between India and Afghanistan was on display at the Amritsar conference. The two countries were clearly on the same page in their condemnation of state support to terrorism. And while Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrained from naming Pakistan, it was evident who New Delhi was criticising. As in other recent summits and meetings, India’s diplomacy at Amritsar conference was aimed at isolating Pakistan. It was partially successful. However, Russia expressed its unhappiness with the HoA meeting being reduced to an India-Pakistan slanging match. India’s recent preoccupation with isolating Pakistan may not be a smart strategy as it is drawing the ire of other countries.<br /><br /></p>
<p>The just-concluded Heart of Asia (HoA) conference that India hosted at Amritsar prioritised the fight against terrorism and radicalism. The Amritsar Declaration was forthright in its rejection of “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” and described it as “the gravest challenge” confronting the HoA region and the rest of the world. Previous HoA conferences were rather reticent about identifying by name the terrorist groups behind the bloodletting in Afghanistan; they named only the al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. The Amritsar Declaration not only named these two jihadist groups but also the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkistan Islamic Movement, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Jundullah etc. The list of groups named in the final declaration is noteworthy for two reasons. This is the first time that a HoA declaration names Pakistan-backed and based terror groups like the Haqqani Network, LeT and JeM. The LeT and JeM target India rather than Afghanistan and while Pakistan is likely to have opposed their naming in the declaration, it managed to get the TTP included. Clearly, participants at the HoA conference battled hard to further their own interests. Importantly, the declaration’s wording is such that it avoids describing the Taliban as a terrorist group. This is, perhaps, aimed at facilitating the Afghan government’s ongoing efforts at negotiating a peace settlement with the Taliban.<br /><br />While calling on governments to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries and disrupt all support for terrorist groups, the Amritsar Declaration refrained from naming Pakistan. However, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani did not pull his punches. In his speech, he called out Pakistan for its “selective displacement” of terrorist networks and snubbed the country’s offer of US$ 500 million in development funds, saying that Pakistan could put this money to better use by containing extremism emanating from its soil. Ghani’s stinging remark stemmed from his frustration with Pakistan. But his observation also underscored the fact that Afghan reconstruction cannot make much headway so long as Pakistan-backed terror continues to bleed Afghanistan. <br /><br />Close cooperation between India and Afghanistan was on display at the Amritsar conference. The two countries were clearly on the same page in their condemnation of state support to terrorism. And while Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrained from naming Pakistan, it was evident who New Delhi was criticising. As in other recent summits and meetings, India’s diplomacy at Amritsar conference was aimed at isolating Pakistan. It was partially successful. However, Russia expressed its unhappiness with the HoA meeting being reduced to an India-Pakistan slanging match. India’s recent preoccupation with isolating Pakistan may not be a smart strategy as it is drawing the ire of other countries.<br /><br /></p>
