Amid a developing political situation in Afghanistan, Russian Secretary of Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval held talks in New Delhi on Wednesday. The two sides reportedly reviewed the political, security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

“The consultations reflect the desire, importance and potential for a significant increase in political-security cooperation between India and Russia in Afghanistan,” official sources told news agency ANI.

The two also reportedly reviewed activities of terrorist groups such as Jaish-e-Muhammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, and revisited cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi to assist Afghanistan in its hour of crisis. The development is significant as Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev had recently cited that the instability in Afghanistan could also spread terror to Russia and Kashmir.

CIA chief, Doval discuss Afghanistan

Meanwhile, CIA chief Bill Burns was also on a visit to India and held discussions with NSA Doval on the security and stability in the region in light of the Afghanistan crisis. According to a report in the Times of India, Burns was slated to visit Pakistan on Wednesday.

The meetings between the security establishments of the US, Russia and India highlight the growing concern among regional players regarding the evolving situation in Afghanistan. Earlier today, US President Joe Biden said that China will work out an arrangement with the Taliban in the days to come.

Pakistan’s active involvement in the political developments in Afghanistan, as well as Taliban’s interest in joining the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), have underlined the likely challenges that India could face on politico-diplomatic levels, besides the much-highlighted threat of non-state actors.