General Bipin Rawat told in a security conference that the worry was disruptors who would step into the void created by the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.
“Our concern is that the vacuum that will be created by the withdrawal of the United States and NATO should not create space for disruptors. There are many people looking for an opportunity to walk into the space being created”, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said.
General Rawat did not name anyone specifically but it is clear that arch-rival Pakistan will leverage the situation and will gain a bigger hand in Afghanistan because of its long-standing ties with the hardline Taliban, who are expected to play a dominant role once the US leaves.
President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that US troops would drawdown from Afghanistan starting on May 1 to end America’s longest war, rejecting calls for them to stay to ensure a peaceful resolution to that nation’s grinding internal conflict.
