The kidnapping and brutal murder of Maniappan Raman Kutty, of the Border Roads Organizations (BRO) by the Taliban in Afghanistan has shocked India as it is the first time in many years that an Indian national was kidnapped and killed by terrorists on foreign soil. BRO is constructing a strategic road from Zaranj to Delaram in Afghanistan.

The 218 km road from will link the main Kandahar-Herat highway to the Iran border, shortening the distance from the Chahbahar port in Iran to Kabul, and further to Central Asia by about 800 km. This $84 million (Rs 378 crore) project, funded and executed by India, was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on 4 February 2004. About one fourth work has been completed. For its part, Iran is building the Chahbahar-Milak-Zaranj road in Afghanistan.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Iran, India and Afghanistan in January 2003, Afghan goods will enjoy duty free access to the Iranian port. India would also enjoy similar benefits at Chahbahar port and for transit through Iran. Furthermore, India and Iran have agreed to build a railroad from Chahbahar to the Iranian Central Railway System to link with the Karachi-Tehran Railway line, which goes further westward. While Afghanistan gains access to the outside world and acquires its true trade potential, India will be able to prevail over the hurdles raised by Pakistan by refusing to allow the transit of Indian goods to Afghanistan. The project has direct implications for India, Iran and Afghanistan and an indirect impact on Pakistan. The great game is being replayed in Afghanistan.

India is a prominent political supporter of Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan's President. It has committed itself to revive Afghanistan's physical infrastructure and develop strategic relationship with its government. The Indian policy is largely motivated by its desire to deny Pakistan the opportunity to regain the "strategic depth" it once had in Afghanistan. The project will reduce Pakistan's importance as the only available route for both Afghanistan and India to trade directly with each other. It will eventually reduce Pakistan's leverage over Afghanistan. Pakistan considered it one of its provinces during the mid-1990s. Obviously, this project is not to Pakistan's liking.

Though, Pakistan has carried out selective arrests and operations against the Taliban, it has obviously allowed it to regroup within its territory and launch attacks across the border. The objective is to prevent the Karzai regime from stabilizing as a stable Afghanistan would have a negative impact on Balochistan and NWFP. Using Taliban as a proxy, Pakistan would regain some limited strategic depth in Afghanistan.

Thus, Maniappan's killing points towards Pakistan's involvement. It is tempting to blame Pakistan's intelligence network. But, with India denying any Pakistani hand in the murder, other factors need to be examined. It is argued here that, had Pakistan carried out the killing of the Indian BRO worker, its involvement would have been so obvious that it would be detrimental to Islamabad.

There is no doubt, however, that there was some urgency in the message that the Taliban wished to convey. It could be that Indian policies are antagonizing sections of Afghan opinion, including the Taliban. It could also be that some Afghan groups like the Taliban resent India's over-identification with the regime headed by Karzai. What is to be noted is that they struck within days of the announcement that India was conferring the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize on Hamid Karzai, who remains a faction leader in Afghanistan's continuing fratricidal strife for the Taliban. It seems the Taliban's opinions matter and remain an important consideration in that country. A section of the members of the newly elected Parliament in Afghanistan comprises Taliban cadres who reportedly still take instructions from Mullah Omar. Efforts are therefore being made by the US to accommodate Mullah Mohammad Omar in the power structure in Kabul.

India has raised the issue of Maniappan's killing in the UN General Assembly on 29 November and has informed the world body that al-Qaeda and Taliban continue to pose a serious threat to Afghanistan's security and stability. They continue to receive support and safe haven across the border from Afghanistan's southern and south-eastern provinces; hence, it is necessary to resolutely attack the financing, training camps and the networks that support them. For India the challenge is to remain committed to rebuilding Afghanistan, provide aid, and execute projects, but without politically over- committing itself.