India Mulls Stationing Ground Forces in Afghanistan

[ORAC]

Pakistan is going to go ballistic if this happens. And with the continuous fighting along the border it would be a major flash point between two nuclear powers. :uhoh:

Defense News: India Mulls Stationing of Ground Forces in Afghanistan (http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130517/DEFREG03/305170018/India-Mulls-Stationing-Ground-Forces-Afghanistan)

NEW DELHI — The Indian government is evaluating the possibility of stationing troops in Afghanistan after the international forces begin leaving the country in 2014.

An Indian Ministry of Defence source said no decision has yet been taken, but the possibility of putting boots in Afghanistan is under consideration by the Indian government.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is visiting New Delhi May 20-22 and the issue of stationing of Indian troops is likely to be discussed, said an official of the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

“It is in India’s interest to enhance security and defense cooperation with Afghanistan,” added the official, but he would not comment if a decision has been made.

Currently, India’s defense relations with Afghanistan is only at the cooperation level, including training of personnel at Indian institutes. The Indian government had previously opposed stationing ground troops unless it is under the umbrella of the United Nations.

“New Delhi will have to be very careful in supplying weapons and equipment and stationing troops in Afghanistan so that it does not project itself to be over enthusiastic in its presence in Afghanistan, once the international troops leave in 2014,” said analyst Nitin Mehta.

India has built roads and infrastructure in Afghanistan with the assistance of the Border Roads Organisation.

[Lonewolf_50]

If the Indian troops deploy, this is bound to go well.

One more crew of foreigners for the Taliban to go after.

Enjoy, dear Indian friends, and please check a few of our lessons learned before you put your first hand in that tar baby.

[Tashengurt]

Tweaking the tigers tail there.


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[Tashengurt]

Actually, what I meant was "Are they f*cking mental?"


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[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

'Pakistan is going to go ballistic...'. Ne'er a truer word said in jest!

Duncs:ok:

[Heathrow Harry]

Pakistan will make sure that every Afghan is fully armed to deal with this one

and I can't imagine the Chinese, the Russians and the Iranians will be that happy either

No-one wants a regional power meddling in Afghanistan - the whole point of the place is to act aas a buffer between them all

[Hangarshuffle]

As western countries decline new rising stars step into the void left? India sees the whole Afghan region return to how it was pre October 2001 and western intervention, and wants to block out potential threats? Occupy?
Historically can anyone give a comparison - anyone when nations rapidly appear and become very rapid military powers beyond their own borders? I don't know - UK and France post WW1 in former Ottoman Empire areas? Japan 1920s?
One thing that strikes me where I now work ( a warm and increasingly wealthy place) is how fast India is rising and how intelligent and aspiring Indian people are. They really impress me. Truly a new middle class has come out of nowhere. 15 years ago I thought (in a really unimaginative and rather racist way) Indians were the labourers and sometimes the bottom to middle rung managers of the world, but they are rapidly rising well up the corporate ladder and more in so many different ways.
We the UK are in very rapid military decline and its now going to be a very different world,shortly. Only my humble observations.

[Lonewolf_50]

India should be allowed the opportunity to cock it up in Afghanistan, just like anybody else has the chance. :)

[Pontius Navigator]

They really impress me. Truly a new middle class has come out of nowhere. 15 years ago I thought (in a really unimaginative and rather racist way) Indians were the labourers and sometimes the bottom to middle rung managers of the world, but they are rapidly rising well up the corporate ladder and more in so many different ways.

First, my thoughts coincided with ORAC before I even opened the post.

I did a 4-week resettlement in India about 14 years ago and even then I could see they were a developed country but with too many people (and only 2% paying taxes). They were producing world class goods but hiding behind other countries brands. They made Rayleigh bikes but had to sell them in UK under a Halford's brand. Clothing was made for all the western majors but the Made in India label was practically invisible.

Now, with companies like TATA becoming visible in UK we are seeing a greater presence.

What I learnt in India is that it is more analogous to the EU than to a single country. They have many languages, they have diverse political parties at State level. They are a secular country but with 70% Hindu and near 30% Muslim.

Add that mix to the powder keg and stand back.

[500N]

PN
And of top of that, you have the Caste system as well
within the society.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Do the Indians have any muslim-only regiments? Or are they integrated?

[Pontius Navigator]

PN
And of top of that, you have the Caste system as well
within the society.

No you don't "they said" pointing out that the Prime Minister was of the lowest caste :)

But in practical terms I identified about 7 classes. The lowest, as far as I could determine, were pavement dwellers. If they were upper class pavement dwellers they had a woven mat. Middle class had a sheet of cardboard. Above them were the pavement dwellers that lived in brick houses built on the pavement. These had free electricity and TVs.

Periodically the authorities would demolish these and rehouse the dwellers in social housing. A short time later the pavement houses would reappear and the dwellers would be back. The difference was they had sub-let the social housing flats and were raking in a sufficient income and still benefiting from free electricity*.

One family I stayed with had so many servants they couldn't remember how many. Fascinating place.


* from the street lamps.

[Heathrow Harry]

In Mumbai a lot of apparent street dwellers are actually lower middle class commuters - they have reasonable places in the outer suburbs but can't afford a place in the city, nor the time and cost of commuting in each day - so they just roll up on the pavement during the week - its pretty warm after all

[Pontius Navigator]

HH, quite. I could have settled there quite happily. While a 5* tourist hotel cost upward of $250 per day, a secure beach resort with pool, gym, sauna etc and large cabins similar in standard to a Travel Lodge, cost around £20 per day.

A clothing shop, somewhat better than M&S, with personal shoppers at your beck and call, was a delight to use.

We used to go walking around 4-5 in the morning in the morning twilight and I can believe what you say about the people kipping in the street. Even in their own homes a wooden board and a thin mat is preferred to a deluxe sprung mattress.

[500N]

Stayed at the Bombay Rock Hotel for a night when stuck
in Bombay. Was a real eye opener going from the airport
to the hotel.

I see it is now called the SeaRock and was one of the hotels
that were bombed during the 1993 bombings.

Anyone know if it is still operating ?

[Milo Minderbinder]

A few years back stayed in an "Indian 5-star" hotel rather than a "European 5-star" hotel called the Oasis (I think) somewhere close to the Sea Harrier base. At the time the Leela Kempinski was around $200 / night, this place was around $15 and there wasn't a lot of difference. Only noticeable one was that the toilet attendant kept his cloth to himself (unlike the chap in the Leela who used to try to help you with your flies after urinating......yikes)
Very much a 2-tier charging system.
If I remember correctly Kingfisher was around five rupees a bottle - in town it was around 25-30

[Heathrow Harry]

http://www.hotelsmumbai.com/the-sea-rock-hotel.html (http://www.hotelseanrock.com/)