1. Managing wastewater: ‘Water plus’ Indore gives country exemplary goals READ MORE  
2. Climate changes create havoc, women bear the brunt READ MORE
3. The state of India’s urban wetlands and why they need to be protected urgently READ MORE

1. State and Its Anxiety of Caste Census READ MORE

1. Get transformed, make the world a better place READ MORE
2. Free To Serve READ MORE

1. Merit Must Predominate Other Factors in Appointments to Judiciary: Justice R.F. Nariman READ MORE   
2. TN to have separate state education policy READ MORE
3. How Can We Rethink Police Accountability in India? READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelims and Mains

1. Government notifies the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, prohibiting identified single-use plastic items by 2022. READ MORE
2. MoHUA launches one brand -‘SonChiraiya’ – for Urban SHG products READ MORE
3. Explained: What will happen to fish as oceans warm? READ MORE
4. Tag Garuda: Bihar plans GPS trackers for endangered Greater Adjutant Storks READ MORE
5. Govt Notifies Rules to Prohibit Various Single-Use Plastic Items From July ’22 READ MORE

Main exam

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Merit Must Predominate Other Factors in Appointments to Judiciary: Justice R.F. Nariman READ MORE   
2. TN to have separate state education policy READ MORE
3. How Can We Rethink Police Accountability in India? READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. State and Its Anxiety of Caste Census READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. An Indian sail to navigate the maritime environment: India’s leadership in the debate on maritime security has boosted its standing as a key player in the shared commons READ MORE
2. Taliban gains complicate India’s options READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Growth needs steps beyond reforms: While the reform agenda must continue, social cohesion and equity considerations must be guaranteed READ MORE
2. In India, a diminished economic future READ MORE
3. Rollback of Market Economics READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Managing wastewater: ‘Water plus’ Indore gives country exemplary goals READ MORE  
2. Climate changes create havoc, women bear the brunt READ MORE
3. The state of India’s urban wetlands and why they need to be protected urgently READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Get transformed, make the world a better place READ MORE
2. Free To Serve READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Growth and equity must go together. They are truly interdependent. It is only in an environment of high growth, equity can be pushed aggressively.’ Examine.
2. Freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce are key to the spread of prosperity. Discuss the role that Indians can play in this regard.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Authority does not come from the loudest voice, but the wisest.
• Growth requires more than reforms. Reforms are, in the words of economists, only a necessary condition. It is not sufficient. In a developing economy, in the final analysis, growth is driven by investment.
• Reforms are necessary to improve the productivity of the economy and achieve higher growth.
• Growth and equity must go together. They are truly interdependent. It is only in an environment of high growth, equity can be pushed aggressively.
• The oceans are a common heritage for humankind and a lifeline for the future of the planet.
• Freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce are key to the spread of prosperity.
• Employment trends, the shock to the informal sector and persistently high demand for welfare present an alarming picture. Don’t get misled by revenue numbers and corporate profits.
• Ambedkar taught us that one size didn’t, couldn’t fit everyone in a country as unequal as ours.
• Gandhi recognized that in a country as religious as ours, the religion-blind secularism of France would be a perverse template for a non-sectarian public life.
• The ecosystem services of wetlands need to be highlighted in our development policies, urban planning and climate change mitigation.

50-WORD TALK

• Mob attacks on Muslim men, forcing them to chant Jai Shri Ram are becoming part of the Hindu vigilante playbook in UP. The drummed-up paranoia over religious conversions, ahead of elections, is turning into dangerous extremism. The Kanpur incident has also traumatized a young girl, seen clinging to her battered father.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in the news, you should do a map work (marking those areas in maps and exploring other geographical locations nearby, including mountains, rivers, etc.). The same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for examples if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occurs frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. MOHUA LAUNCHES ONE BRAND – ‘SONCHIRAIYA’ – FOR URBAN SHG PRODUCTS

THE CONTEXT: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched ‘SonChiraiya’ – (A brand and logo)- for marketing of urban Self-Help Group (SHG) products. While launching the brand and logo, he said that helping women to become financially empowered and live a dignified life is one of the priority areas of the Government.

ANALYSIS:

• This initiative will certainly prove as a step towards increased visibility and global access for the products made by urban SHG women. Ministry expects to link many more such SHG members, with variety of professionally packaged, hand-crafted ethnic products, reaching the doorsteps of the customers globally. ABOUT DAY-NULM
• DAY-NULM, under the aegis of MoHUA, has focussed on equipping the urban poor women with adequate skills and opportunities, and to enable them to promote sustainable micro enterprises.
• It mobilises women from urban poor households into SHGs and their federations to create a support system for these women.
• Over 5.7 lakh SHGs have been formed across various States/ UTs with almost 60 lakh members. Many of these SHGs are engaged in livelihood activities, producing goods such as handicrafts, textiles, toys, eatables and so on.
• These were being sold primarily in local neighbourhood markets and often faced barriers in achieving visibility and wide market access. To overcome these challenges, Ministry entered into Memorundum of Understandings (MoUs) with leading e-Commerce Portals viz. Amazon and Flipkart, with an underlying narrative of women empowerment.
• Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this partnership has successfully onboarded on the e-Commerce Portal over 2,000 products of nearly 5,000 SHG members across 25 States/ UTs.
• Innovative methods of online trainings for SHGs have been ensured to enable them to smoothly operate on e-portals. Live demonstrations for account registration, pricing, packaging, re-branding and so on were also organised in collaboration with the e-portals and State Urban Livelihoods Missions.

Reference: PIB

2. OPERATION BLUE FREEDOM – LAND WORLD RECORD AT SIACHEN GLACIER

THE CONTEXT: Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment to Flag-Off ‘Operation Blue Freedom – Land World Record at Siachen Glacier ‘Trained by a team of Armed Forces veterans, the selected people with disabilities will undertake an expedition to Siachen.

ANALYSIS:

• People with disabilities from across the country will undertake an expedition till Siachen Glacier to create a new World Record for the largest team of people with disabilities to reach the world’s highest battlefield.
• Recently, The Government of India has permitted a team of people with disabilities to scale Siachen Glacier. The team of people with disabilities trained by ‘Team CLAW’ a team of Armed Forces veterans.
• The selected people with disabilities from across the country will undertake an expedition till Kumar Post (Siachen Glacier) to create a new World Record for the largest team of people with disabilities to reach the world’s highest battlefield.
• The successful execution of this pioneering expedition, ‘Operation Blue Freedom’, shall firmly place India on the global stage as a leader in empowering Divyangjan and set a benchmark for other nations to emulate.
• It will powerfully portray the skill and heart of India’s Armed Forces not only on the Battlefield but off it as well.

Reference: PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT AMENDMENT RULES, 2021

THE CONTEXT: Government notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, prohibiting identified single use plastic items by 2022.

ANALYSIS:

• The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022:-

1. ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration;
2. plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns, stirrers.

• In order to stop littering due to light weight plastic carry bags, with effect from 30th September, 2021, the thickness of plastic carry bags has been increased from fifty microns to seventy-five microns and to one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022. This will also allow reuse of plastic carry due to increase in thickness.
• The plastic packaging waste, which is not covered under the phase out of identified single use plastic items, shall be collected and managed in an environmentally sustainable way through the Extended Producer Responsibility of the Producer, importer and Brand owner (PIBO), as per Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
• For effective implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility, the Guidelines for Extended Producer Responsibility being brought out have been given legal force through Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.
• The waste management infrastructure in the States/UTs is being strengthened through the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• The States/UTs have been requested to constitute a Special Task Force for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
• A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted by the Ministry for taking coordinated efforts to eliminate identified single use plastic items and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
• The State /UT Governments and concerned Central Ministries/Departments have also been requested to develop a comprehensive action plan for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and its implementation in a time bound manner.
• To encourage innovation in development of alternatives to identified single use plastic items and digital solutions to plastic waste management, the India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021, has been organized for students of Higher Educational Institutions and start-ups recognized under Start-up India Initiative.

Reference: PIB

4. BIHAR PLANS GPS TRACKERS FOR ENDANGERED GREATER ADJUTANT STORKS

THE CONTEXT: In a first, Bihar has decided to tag endangered greater adjutant storks (Leptoptilos dubius), locally known as ‘Garuda’, with GPS trackers to monitor their movement as a part of efforts to conserve them.

ANALYSIS:

• Bhagalpur’s Kadwa Diara floodplains area is the third-most popular breeding centre for the greater adjutant stork in the world after Assam and Cambodia.
• In recent years, several surveys have found that their population has been slowly increasing.
• The greater adjutant is one of the most threatened stork species of the world and is widely considered to be a rare bird.
• Red List 2004 of threatened species and listed under Schedule IV of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Reference: Down to Earth

5. INDIGAU: INDIA’S FIRST CATTLE GENOMIC CHIP

THE CONTEXT: Government released “IndiGau’, India’s first Cattle Genomic Chip for the conservation of pure varieties of indigenous cattle breeds like, Gir, Kankrej, Sahiwal, Ongole etc.

ANALYSIS:

• This indigenous chip was developed by the concerted efforts of scientists of National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NAIB), Hyderabad, an autonomous institution under the aegis of the Department of Biotechnology.
• It has 11,496 markers (SNPs) more than that placed on 777K Illumina chip of US & UK breeds.

Reference: PIB

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

6. BHARAT BIOTECH’S BBV154INTRANASAL VACCINE GETS NOD FOR PHASE 2/3 TRIALS

THE CONTEXT: Bharat Biotech’s BBV154 intranasal vaccine has become the first of its kind to receive the regulatory approval for phase 2/3 trials.
ANALYSIS:

• BBV154 is an intranasal replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus SARS-CoV-2 vectored vaccine. The company has in-licensed technology from Washington University in St. Louis, USA
• The development of the vaccine was supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and its PSU, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).

Reference: The Hindu

Q 1. ‘Son Chiraiya’ is a brand and logo for marketing of products by?

a) Minority groups

b) Prisoners

c) Primitive Tribal groups

d) Self-Help Groups

Q2. Recently in news, the term “IndiGau ” is related to ?

a) New Scheme to cows
b) Cattle Genomic Chip

c) Growth Hormone to improve productivity

d) Indigenous cattle breed

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 13, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)
Answer: c)
Explanation:
1. ‘AL– Mohed AL–Hindi’ – Saudi Arabia
2. ‘Zayed Talwar’ – UAE
3. ‘Varuna’ – France

Q2. ANSWER: c)
Explanation:

• Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital Indore has been declared as India’s first ‘water plus’ city under the Swachh Survekshan 2021.
• Indore carried out a survey and halted 7,000 outfalls of grey water that went in rivers, drains. We completed all criteria to gain this achievement.
• Moreover, 30 per cent of the city’s sewage water was recycled and reused. This recycled water was used by people in their gardens and some construction sites.
• Seven sewerage treatment plants were constructed in the city and about 110 million litres per day (MLD) treated water from them is being used.

The Context: USA President Biden has announced the withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The development has deep implications on the South Asia region and will impact regional stability at a large scale. In this article, we will analyze the opportunities and challenges for India after the USA withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The USA Withdrawal from Afghanistan:  All You Need to Know

The Present Development	• In April 2021, US President Joe Biden announced that all American troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11 of 2021, thus bringing to end the country's longest war, spanning across two decades. • Following suit, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will also pull out its troops from the war-torn country.
Background of the Withdrawal	• The longest-running conflict in US history, the war in Afghanistan has led to the deaths of nearly 2,400 American troops, and cost the country around $2 trillion. • After contemplating for months since winning the election, Biden has decided that US troops should not remain in Afghanistan • In 2009, as Vice-President under Barack Obama, Biden had strongly opposed expanding the US military presence in the country and maintained that its goal should be restricted to counterterrorism missions. • But despite his arguments, Washington went on to increase its number of troops from 36,000 in 2009 to almost 1 lakh in 2010. It was only after the killing of Osama bin Laden by a SEAL team in Pakistan’s Abbottabad in 2011 that the US began winding down its presence in Afghanistan.
Why did the U.S. Invade Afghanistan?	• After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the USA declared war on Afghanistanby saying that the Taliban had turned down USA demand to hand over al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, who plotted the attacks. • Inside Afghanistan, the NATO coalition troops led by the U.S. quickly dislodged the Taliban regime and established a transitional government. • The U.S. rejected an offer from the Taliban to surrender and vowed to defeat the insurgents in every corner of Afghanistan.
Why is the U.S. Pulling Back?	• The U.S. had concluded long ago that the war was unwinnable. Presidents, starting with Barack Obama, had promised to bring American troops back home from Afghanistan. But the U.S. wanted a face-saving exit. • In July 2015, the Obama administration had sent a representative to the first-ever meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government that was hosted by Pakistan. • The talks did not progress as the Afghan government disclosed after the first round that Taliban leader Mullah Omar had died two years earlier. • Later, President Donald Trump appointed a special envoy to directly negotiate with the Taliban. That envoy and his team held talks with Taliban representatives in Doha that led to the February 2020 agreement between the U.S. and the insurgents. • In the agreement, the USA promised that it would withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021. After that, President Joe Biden endorsed the deal but pushed the deadline for withdrawal to September 11.

What does the USA Withdrawal from Afghanistan Signify for different Stakeholders?

Afghanistan	• The departure of troops will leave a security void that will create even greater instability in Afghanistan. • The US has handed Afghanistan back to the Taliban. The Taliban are stronger than they have ever been since 2001 and are in complete control of over 30 percent of Afghanistan’s area. • Once US troops completely withdraw, the Afghan security forces devoid of their intelligence and firepower will be simply unable to withstand the Taliban and they could just storm into Kabul as they did in 1996 and re-establish the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan. • Afghanistan could slip back to medieval anarchy of hardline Islamism, with women banned from jobs or education not even permitted to move freely and minorities under constant threat.
The USA	There were two prime objectives for the USA to invade Afghanistan • The USA was succeeding to achieve its primary object i.e.: to defeat the terrorism of Al-Qaida and Take revenge for the 9/11 attack by killing Osama it was failed on the ideological front and did not establish a peaceful democracy. This is a major defeat for the USA.
Pakistan	• This is a moment of both vindication and concern in Islamabad. The Taliban are a creation of the Pakistani security establishment. • After the US invasion of Afghanistan, they removed themselves to safe havens in Pakistan territory, and the Taliban High Council operated from Quetta in Balochistan. • For Pakistan, it is a moment of vindication. The US withdrawal will create turbulence in Afghanistan which they could use to enable the Taliban to come into power. • This would give them a pliant leadership in Kabul which will provide it much-vaunted ‘strategic depth’. They could also use it to fan the flames in Kashmir as was done in the early 90s. • All this at a time when the economy is flailing, and Pakistan stays afloat on an IMF loan with strict conditionality, and the Taliban are not a monolith. • It has to guard against instability in Afghanistan from spilling over the border. Pakistan’s eastern front with India is quiet at the moment, so that is one headache less, but it would remain a concern for the Pakistan Army.
Russia along with Central Asian Countries	• In recent years, Russia has taken on the role of peacemaker in Afghanistan. But both the Taliban and the Afghan government have been wary of its efforts. • The U.S. exit from Afghanistan is a security headache for Moscow which fears spiraling fighting may push refugees into its Central Asian backyard and destabilize its southern defensive flank. • Afghanistan's Central Asian neighbors - Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan - with whom Afghanistan shares its longest border have bolstered border security in the backdrop of a Taliban takeover of the border crossings. • Russia held many talks to establish peace in Afghanistan after the USA withdrawal. In November 2018 Russia invited the Taliban for a talk. After that, it held another peace talk in March 2021 and the next peace talk is going to be held in mid-August 2021. • After a conference in March of Russia, the US, China, and Pakistan, along with Taliban and Afghan delegates, a joint statement by the four principals said they did not support the establishment of an Islamic Emirate, leaving the Taliban angry. Russia's growing links with Pakistan could translate into a post-US role for Moscow in Afghanistan.
China	• In conjunction with Pakistan, China will also seek to reestablish its influence and perhaps use its economic clout to extend CPEC there. Afghanistan's location fits in well with China's long-term strategic plans. • A Taliban regime in Afghanistan might end up stirring unrest in the Xinjiang Autonomous region, home to the Uighur minority. Conversely, as an ally of Pakistan, it could see a bigger role for itself in Afghanistan. • China is willing to work with the Taliban in Afghanistan. In August 2021 China's foreign ministry welcomed Taliban Official in Beijing which shows that China is ready to work with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

For India

• The US withdrawal will have grave implications for India. Their presence provided a security umbrella for the government and even our interests there.
• India had very good ties with the democratically elected government in Kabul and had earned a tremendous reservoir of goodwill there.
• India has invested heavily in infrastructure projects like the making of the Parliament Building, the development of Kabul’s electricity grid, the Zaranj – Delaram road, and many other projects.
• On the other hand, we have never had good ties with the Taliban and their role in the hijacking of IC 814 to Kandahar still rankles.
• Our influence in Afghanistan and our very presence will be at risk should the Taliban come to power in the aftermath of the US withdrawal.
• India has repeatedly expressed its concern and is in favor of a two-pronged approach for Afghanistan: Encourage the warring sides to agree to total ceasefire and bring them to the negotiating table for them to draw up a political agreement on their own.
• Moreover, the first action by India after taking over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council is to convene a meeting to discuss the worsening situation in Afghanistan.

Opportunities for India

To Deal with Elected Government	• This is an opportunity for India to deal with the elected government for the establishment of democracy in a strong manner. It will help India to keep out the Taliban.
Training and Equipment to Defence Forces	• Although, the USA will withdrawal its troop from Afghanistan it will continue the training and other aid to Afgan forces. India should use this development as an opportunity and try to play an active role in the post-USA scenario.
Regional Stability and Peace	• India may seek to use its role in regional efforts to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan, like the recent UN effort, to press its goal of ensuring Afghan territory cannot be used by anti-India militants.
Economic Cooperation	• India should increase its economic cooperation with Afghanistan and help them to overcome the Covid-19 impact.
Use its Goodwill Image	• Without interfering in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, India can still build partnerships between various stakeholders and raise the capacity and capability of its friends to resist the Taliban onslaught. • Essentially, India will need to step beyond conventional and conservative diplomacy to play a more proactive role in supporting the Afghans.

Challenges for India

Economic Concerns	• Ever since reconstruction work began in Afghanistan, India has invested over $3 billion in building roads, hospitals, schools, providing training, arms, and fighter aircraft to the Afghan armed forces. After the US withdrawal, India's investment will be at stake.
Security Concerns	• Taliban’s arrival on the centre stage will not only put India's economic interests at stake in Afghanistan, but it will also pose a huge security threat to India because Pakistan's prominence in Afghanistan will increase and Islamabad could use the Taliban against Indian’s interests there.
Nexus Against India	• Since Russia has also moved to improve ties with Pakistan and is more than keen to play an important role in Afghanistan's internal affairs, as evident from Moscow's peace talks with the Taliban last year, the possible emergence of a strategic China-Russia-Pakistan axis along with the Taliban, could jeopardize India’s position.
China Influence	• China is the most important regional player. With the help of Pakistan and Russia, it can influence Afgan policy which is not good for India. • India has the ambition to bypass Pakistan to grow its relationship with middle Asia but china's influence can affect its policy. • China recently signed a 400-Billion-dollar deal with Iran, which is another concern for India.
Jammu and Kashmir	• Many Taliban soldiers could move to India, especially to the Kashmir valley, to pursuit their Jihad. The insurgency in Kashmir has peaked in 1996 when the Taliban had captured power in Afghanistan.

Should India have Dialogue with the Taliban?

India should have a dialogue with the Taliban:

• The Taliban, no longer an untouchable force, control much of the country’s rural territories.
• The U.S. has already signed a deal with the Taliban, China welcomed the Taliban delegation, Russia hosted talks many times and European powers have also shown interest in sponsoring talks. So, India has to be more flexible and adapt to the new strategic reality.
• Russia called another meeting, namely troika plus, for bringing political reconciliation in Afghanistan. Although, Russia has invited the United States, Pakistan and China to the meeting and kept away India.

What kind of dialogue does India have with the Taliban?

• Since the fall of the Taliban, India has cultivated deep ties with the Afghan people and the government, with investments in multiple projects dealing with education, power generation, irrigation, and other infrastructure development.
• India should have a dialogue with the Taliban but continue the support to the elected government in terms of trani9ng the security and police forces, and rallying other countries to finance the Afghanistan government, in its efforts to ensure peace.
• India joining the peace process could strengthen the hands of the Afghan government, which is negotiating from a position of weakness.
• If the Taliban agrees to share power elected government, it is good but if it does not agree then the Indian government should try to support the elected government. If the Taliban takes power forcefully, it would not be acceptable for India.
• The question India faces, like the other stakeholders, is how to help Afghanistan end the violence without a total capitulation to the Taliban. New Delhi should, using its regional clout as well as its deep ties with both the U.S. and Russia for peace in Afghanistan.

What Should be the Way Forward for India?

Broader Diplomatic Engagement	• India should consider appointing a special envoy dedicated to Afghan reconciliation. • The envoy can ensure that Indian views are expressed at every meeting, broaden engagement with the Afghan government and other political actors, and reach out to certain Taliban representatives.
Continued Training and Investments	• India should provide more military training to Afghan security forces and invest in longer-term capacity-building programs. • It should actively support and invest in the National Directorate of Security (for example, by providing training and sharing intelligence). • Finally, given the continued levels of violence and the impact of the coronavirus on the Afghan economy, India should expand its development assistance.
Working With and Through Others	• India should look to broaden its engagements with Iran and Russia, explore opportunities for cooperation (as limited as they might be) with China, and find common ground with the United States on Afghanistan’s future. • This does not mean forcing competing interests to align; it means investing in a wider diplomatic initiative with the view to carving out areas of convergence.

Conclusion: Although, USA withdrawal brings adverse impacts in India’s Afghanistan policy. While the development brings many challenges for India but it also opens many opportunities to play an active role in Afghanistan. India needs to be careful to play its card in its Afghanistan policy.

Questions to Ponder

1. ‘USA withdrawal from Afghanistan is both a challenge and an opportunity for India’. Comment on the statement.
2. Discuss how the USA withdrawal from Afghanistan would impact India’s interests in Afghanistan?
3. India needs to decide its role in Afghanistan, it is sure that India can’t be merely a spectator in the context of Afghanistan. Discuss the statement in light of recent developments.