What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: ​​​​Claim, counterclaim

Context

India should voice its stance on global issues guided by moral conviction rather than diplomatic vagueness.

Introduction

India’s recent diplomatic tightrope, highlighted by President Trump’s claim about halting Russian oil imports, underscores a deeper challenge in its foreign policy — balancing strategic caution with ethical conviction. As a rising global power, India must move beyond reactive ambiguity and articulate its positions with moral clarity, reflecting both national interest and global responsibility.

India’s Diplomatic Dilemma: Between Strategic Prudence and Moral Clarity

The Trigger: Trump’s Controversial Claim

• Incident:S. President Donald Trumpclaimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that India would cease importing oil from Russia.
• Context: Trump, speaking at the White House (Oct 15, 2025), added —

“Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing.”

• Backdrop:This statement came soon after Trump’s earlier claims of mediating “Operation Sindoor”, where he alleged a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

India’s Response: Calibrated Ambiguity

• Official Reaction:The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denied knowledge of such a conversation but did not explicitly refute Trump’s assertion.
• Tone Adopted:India employed a “soft denial” — neither confirming nor rejecting the claim outright.
• Pattern:This tactical restraint mirrored India’s earlier approach following Operation Sindoor

The Strategic Quandary

Factor	India’s Concern	Explanation
Bilateral Trade	Securing a near-term U.S.–India trade deal	Avoid actions that jeopardize economic negotiations
China Factor	Managing the long-term Asian power balance	Shared strategic concerns over China’s rise
Trump’s Diplomacy Style	Unpredictable and transactional	“Art of the Deal” tactics make diplomatic coordination difficult

India’s Tactical Balancing Act

• India’s measured silenceprevents escalation and keeps dialogue channels open.
• South Block strategistsprefer quiet diplomacy to public confrontation.
• However, strategic ambiguity, while tactically useful, risks being read as moral indecisionon global issues like the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

The Larger Challenge: Moral Voice of a Rising Power

• As India aspires to global leadership, it must articulate positions with ethical consistency, not just strategic convenience.
• Moral claritystrengthens India’s image as a responsible global power, distinct from transactional diplomacy.
• Ultimately, India’s credibilitywill depend not on appeasing great powers but on standing firm on principles — peace, sovereignty, and fairness.

Conclusion

India’s recent diplomatic tightrope, highlighted by President Trump’s claim about halting Russian oil imports, underscores a deeper challenge in its foreign policy — balancing strategic caution with ethical conviction. As a rising global power, India must move beyond reactive ambiguity and articulate its positions with moral clarity, reflecting both national interest and global responsibility.

 

Editorial 2: ​​The next steps for Afghanistan after the New Delhi visit

Context

India must pursue a calibrated, step-by-step engagement with Afghanistan while showcasing its image as a credible and compassionate humanitarian actor.

Introduction

The visit of Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi may have generated brief excitement in the media, but the real task begins now. What is required is a carefully phased engagement aimed at stabilising a war-torn nation, while simultaneously allowing New Delhi to reinforce its credentials as a humanitarian and responsible regional power.

• In an era marked by rampant conflict and militarised rhetoric, such humanitarian leadershipcarries genuine value.
• Moreover, India’s outreach need not come at the expense of its security interestsor be viewed as a zero-sum rivalry with Pakistan.
• On the contrary, a stable Afghanistancould contribute to regional stability, including within Pakistan, provided that Islamabad chooses to embrace this shared opportunity for peace.

Security Dynamics and Ground Realities

• The India–Afghanistan joint statementangered Islamabad, as it reaffirmed the Taliban’s condemnation of the Pahalgam attack (April 2025) and reiterated Kabul’s pledge not to allow its soil to be used against India.
• The UN Sanctions Monitoring Committeenoted that while the Taliban acted against IS-K, their capacity remains limited due to Mullah Haibatullah’s control from Kandahar and the fragmented administration.
• The report added that TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsudreceived funding from the Taliban, yet Kabul hesitated to act, fearing a tilt toward IS-K.
• Pakistan’s accusationsthat the Taliban harbour the TTP are therefore propaganda, designed to project India-Afghan cooperation as a threat.
• The Taliban, though far from ideal, are not the extremist puppetsPakistan portrays — a reality India must assess with nuance.

Actor	Claim / Action	Reality / Outcome
Pakistan	Taliban sponsor TTP terrorism	Seeks to delegitimise India–Afghan ties
Taliban	Condemn IS-K, but shield TTP	Fear internal conflict, limited control
India	Focus on dialogue & stability	Avoid direct confrontation, pragmatic stance

India’s Strategic Openings for Stability

• India’s rolelies in supporting on-ground stability, not mere rhetoric.
• Integrate the Taliban’s drug-eradication drivewith crop-substitution programmes, ensuring farmer income security and export linkages.
• Launch a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) training missionto counter meth-lab expansion and strengthen anti-drug enforcement.
• Support basic infrastructure — notably Kabul’s water security, as the city may run dry by 2030.
• Reiterate the Shahtoot Dam offeron the Kabul River, turning potential India–Pakistan hydro tensions into regional cooperation through a shared Indus-basin framework.

Priority Area	Proposed Initiative	Expected Impact
Counter-Narcotics	Crop substitution + NCB training	Curtail drug trade, rural livelihood support
Water Security	Shahtoot Dam & joint treaty	Urban resilience, hydro-diplomacy
Regional Stability	India–Afghan development linkages	Reduced extremism, shared security benefits

In essence, India’s engagement should combine humanitarian leadershipwith strategic foresight, transforming Afghanistan’s fragility into an opportunity for regional peace and pragmatic cooperation.

Empowering Afghanistan through Education and Skill Development

• The issue of women’s educationremains paramount in Afghanistan’s rebuilding process.
• Reformist leaders like Abdul Baqi Haqqani, who once supported women’s education, were swiftly replaced by hardliners such as Mawlawi Habibullah Agha, reflecting the Taliban’s regressive stance.
• Changing this discriminatory policyis vital — not only to reframe the Taliban’s image internationally but also to strengthen India’s humanitarian outreach.
• India’s current initiative of 1,000 e-scholarshipsthrough the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) is insufficient given the scale of the crisis.
• The online education modelshould be expanded to major Afghan institutions, with special foreign exchange relaxations to enable seamless access.
• This academic outreach can align with India’s investment focus areas, especially mining and infrastructure, by building local skill capacity.
• Creating trained Afghan professionalswill ensure minimal dependence on foreign personnel and generate employment within Afghanistan — contributing to both economic stability and social inclusion.

Focus Area	Proposed Action	Intended Outcome
Women’s Education	Expand e-scholarships, push policy change	Empower women, enhance India’s soft power
Higher Education Access	Extend online learning to key universities	Build educated youth, future workforce
Skill Development	Training in mining & technical sectors	Local employment, reduced foreign reliance

The Goal of a Stable Afghanistan

• Achieving a stable and friendly Afghanistanmust remain a long-term strategic objective for India.
• While the ‘whole-of-government’ approachis often cited, it rarely operates effectively in practice.
• The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS)should be empowered and coordinated so that all ministries — finance, water, power, and foreign affairs — work in unison toward a unified Afghan policy.
• This effort must be institutionalisedso that it outlives political transitions, maintaining the core strategic principle of “selection and maintenance of aim.”
• The goal: ensure India’s relevance and credibilityin Afghanistan remain enduring, not subject to shifting priorities.

The Pakistan Factor and Regional Realities

• A major obstacle to Afghan stabilityis the Pakistan Army’s resistance to a genuinely independent Taliban regime, stemming from its urge to dominate Kabul’s politics.
• In contrast, ordinary Pakistanis, especially Pashtuns, share cross-border ethnic, family, and trade ties, giving them an interest in a peaceful Afghanistan.
• Potential bilateral trade and transit revenuescould reach $10 billion, but these opportunities remain unrealised as long as Pakistan remains a security-driven state.
• For genuine stability, the international communitymust push for systemic change within Pakistan, encouraging democratic accountability over military dominance.
• As history shows, democracy is not an idealistic aspiration — it works, almost every time.

Key Actor / Institution	Role / Issue	Required Action
National Security Council Secretariat (India)	Fragmented coordination on Afghan policy	Strengthen and align all ministries
Pakistan Army	Undermines Afghan stability for influence	International pressure for systemic reform
Ordinary Pakistanis / Pashtuns	Support regional peace and trade	Facilitate people-centric cooperation
India’s Policy Goal	Permanent strategic relevance	Institutionalise “whole-of-government” approach

• In essence, India’s Afghan strategy must move from reactive diplomacyto institutional coordination and regional reform advocacy, ensuring that a peaceful, democratic Afghanistan becomes the anchor of South Asian stability.

Conclusion

India’s engagement with Afghanistan must blend strategic consistency with humanitarian vision. A stable Afghanistan is central to South Asian peace, economic connectivity, and regional security. By aligning education, infrastructure, and counter-narcotics efforts under a whole-of-government framework, New Delhi can project itself as a principled and pragmatic power, ensuring its long-term relevance in shaping a democratic and peaceful neighbourhood.