Rahmatullah Nabil said the potential reopening of India’s consulate in Kandahar could mark a major strategic shift in southern Afghanistan, reshaping regional political and security dynamics.
The potential reopening of India’s consulate in Kandahar could represent one of the most significant political and security shifts in southern Afghanistan, former intelligence chief Rahmatullah Nabil said on Wednesday.
Nabil wrote on X that restoring the mission would not only deepen emerging trade and diplomatic pathways between India and the Taliban but also sharply heighten Islamabad’s concerns over regional influence.
He said increased Indian activity in Kandahar could prompt regional players to strengthen their political and intelligence footholds in Afghanistan, reshaping long-standing power dynamics.
The former intelligence chief noted that India’s potential return comes despite Pakistan’s earlier pressure on the previous Afghanistan government to scale back New Delhi’s diplomatic and intelligence presence, which Islamabad viewed as a threat to its security interests.
Nabil also linked recent remarks by India’s defense minister about reclaiming Sindh to rising anxieties in Islamabad, saying such statements could compound Pakistan’s strategic vulnerabilities.
He wrote that Pakistan fears the possible opening of another pressure point in Sindh, in addition to long-running unrest in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, pushing the country to reassess its security calculations.
The comments come as tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban continue to escalate. Late Monday, Pakistani airstrikes hit several areas in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 10 people, including nine children and a woman, according to local officials.
Several others were reported wounded in the strikes, further straining relations between the two countries as Kabul condemned the attacks as a violation of Afghanistan airspace and vowed response at a proper time.
Meanwhile, tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban are intensifying, even as India expands its diplomatic engagement with Kabul after years of limited contact.
Nabil added that Taliban-India relations appear to be warming, while Pakistan faces growing uncertainty over how shifting regional alignments may affect its influence in Afghanistan.
