As the Qatar-Turkey-brokered ceasefire collapses into what Islamabad now calls “open war,” the international community is watching New Delhi for its response to the spiraling crisis. While India has not yet issued a formal statement on today’s strikes in Kabul and Kandahar, its recent diplomatic posture offers a clear indication of where its sympathies lie.

A pattern of support for Afghan sovereignty

India has consistently backed Afghanistan’s territorial integrity during its frequent border skirmishes with Pakistan. Historically, New Delhi has viewed these conflicts through the lens of Pakistan’s domestic instability.

In previous escalations, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal summarized India’s position in three points:

Terror sponsorship: Pakistan remains a host and sponsor of terrorist organizations.

Deflection: Islamabad habitually blames neighbors for its own internal failures.

Sovereignty: Pakistan is “infuriated” by Afghanistan exercising independence over its own territory.

Condemning civilian casualties

New Delhi’s strongest language has been reserved for the loss of innocent lives. Following the February 22 strikes—which Kabul claims killed 18 people, including women and children—India issued a sharp rebuke.

“India strongly condemns Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory that have resulted in civilian casualties,” the MEA stated, adding that the timing during the holy month of Ramadan made the act particularly egregious. New Delhi framed the strikes as yet another attempt by Pakistan to “externalize” its own governance and security crises.

Dismissing the ‘Indian Proxy’ narrative

As tensions flared in late 2025—coinciding with a historic visit by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India—Islamabad accused New Delhi of using “proxies” on Afghan soil to destabilize Pakistan.

India dismissed these claims as “baseless propaganda.” Analysts note that the warming ties between New Delhi and the Taliban—highlighted by high-level meetings between Muttaqi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar—have deeply unsettled Islamabad, which traditionally viewed Afghanistan as its “strategic depth.”

The current crisis: ‘Our patience has run out’

The latest escalation began Sunday with Pakistan claiming to have killed 70 militants, an operation Afghanistan countered by striking Pakistani border posts on Thursday. Today’s air raids on Kabul and Kandahar represent a massive leap in intensity.

Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, declared, X: “Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us.”

With Islamabad now claiming to have neutralized over 130 Taliban operatives in today’s strikes, the region faces its most significant security threat in years. India’s silence today may be temporary as it monitors the safety of its “technical mission” in Kabul and the broader impact on regional stability.