Need For an Afghan Regiment

One of the biggest causes of concern for the international community, post the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, is the endless flow of refugees from that chaotic, war-torn country. The visuals of some of these refugees falling off from planes or being murdered by the, Pakistan backed, barbaric Taliban are extremely painful to watch. Although the plight of these refugees is highly piteous, the economic effects of the Covid pandemic has largely diminished the abilities of various nations to absorb these refugees. Nevertheless, it is the humane and moral responsibility of all civilized nations to support these refugees.

Despite the economic setback on account of the Covid pandemic, the Indian economy is bouncing back rapidly and is currently one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Based on various media reports there are approximately around 15,000–20,000 Afghan refugees in India. On account of India’s close ties with the Afghan populace, it would be a good idea to increase our intake of these to the 50,000–75,000 mark. Of course, needless to say that, despite our recovering economy, it would be a tad difficult to bear the cost of hosting these refugees. However if this idea is planned and handled carefully, we could turn it to our advantage.

On the one hand we could appeal to the US and the west and various international institutions to provide us with financial and other aid in order to support these refugees. Given India’s substantial global clout, I’m sure we can be quite successful in securing the necessary aid for these refugees. On the other hand, it’s imperative that these refugees are beneficially integrated into the Indian economy by providing them with suitable jobs. The main problem, in this regard, is the presence of an enormous pool of skilled and semi-skilled labour in India which will make it difficult for the Afghan refugees to secure suitable employment in the country. Nevertheless, this is an ideal opportunity for us to turn this problem into an advantage.

These Afghan refugees have some intrinsic attributes that can work in our favour. Firstly, all of them have an immense hatred towards Pakistan on account its numerous endeavours at destroying Afghanistan by supporting various terrorist groups including the barbaric Taliban. Secondly these Afghans have spent decades in a war-ravaged scenario and hence can adapt to extremely tough physical and mental conditions. Thirdly, on account of poor economic progress in their country, most of these Afghans (at least the males) are battle-hardened and can be converted into fierce soldiers. Fourthly, most of the Afghan populace have a lot of affection and respect for India.

There are numerous regiments in the Indian army and each one of them is unparalleled in its bravery and fighting abilities. So, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if we were to add one or more Afghan Regiments in the Indian Army. Many of these Afghan refugees, both males and females, could be recruited into these Afghan regiments and could be inculcated with the necessary skills in fighting and other key technical areas. This way, these refugees would be gainfully employed and at the same time we’ll have an additional supply of top quality soldiers and technical personnel which we can use to counter Pakistan and perhaps, even China. I mean, China has a substantial hand in the destruction of Afghanistan by its support for the Taliban, both direct and through Pakistan. So, these Afghan refugees would be justified in their unprejudiced hatred towards both Pakistan and China. If required, we can organize motivational classes for these refugees in order to enhance their hatred for these countries and also to ensure that this hatred and anger simmers at all times. Remember, a highly motivated soldier is one of the biggest assets in a war.

On account of international financial aid for these refugees, the financial burden on the Indian exchequer will be minimum whereas the benefits from these refugees could be maximized by the optimal utilization of their abilities. For instance, they could be added to the frontline on our border with Pakistan or China where they can be used to make proactive aggressive advancements into enemy territory. Alternatively, they could be moved to Iran or Tajikistan from where they could provide support to the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and/or The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) thus creating major problems for our primary enemies. These soldiers can also be useful in case of a multi-dimensional invasion of Pakistan or China. Of course, these Afghan regiment soldiers should be treated at par with Indian soldiers and should receive the same love and respect as their Indian counterparts. The same should also apply to the family members, of these soldiers, who have settled in India.

Over the past few decades countries around the world have proactively encouraged the use of recycled materials in all production processes. This helps in cutting costs and also has pro-environmental effects. Loosely based on that principle, I believe, recycling refugees into frontline warriors is definitely justified as it’s beneficial to everybody. From the refugee’s point of view, they get a new home and a job that optimizes their talents and abilities. It also secures a bright and prosperous future for their children and their family as a whole. From the Indian point of view, given our precarious neighbourhood and the highly untrustworthy neighbours on our northern and western fronts, this additional firepower can enable us to put these malevolent neighbours on the back foot. Additionally, the financial burden of these refugees is minimum on account of international aid support. If required, we can loan these soldiers to our allies to help them in other battles. This could be an useful tool to secure international aid for these refugees.

I admit that, morally speaking, the whole idea is in an extremely grey area, leaning more towards the black side but when it comes to the safety and security of our country, the only rule is that there are no rules.