New Taliban regime casts shadow on India business in Afghanistan

MUMBAI/HYDERABAD: Taliban seizing management in Afghanistan presents a recent problem to Indian corporations inking new enterprise offers within the strife-torn nation.
Although corporations similar to KEC Worldwide and Kalpataru Energy Transmission will full ongoing infrastructure tasks in Afghanistan by way of locals, they face enterprise uncertainty following the modified state of affairs on the bottom. Each corporations have recalled their Indian workers.
Whereas the present tasks are financed by worldwide businesses and are insured, Indian corporations are cautious of enterprise prospects underneath the Taliban regime. “We’re following the rising state of affairs in Afghanistan. We are going to wait and watch after which resolve. It’s very early to touch upon new contracts,” mentioned KEC Worldwide chief govt Vimal Kejriwal.

Concurring with Kejriwal, a Kalpataru Energy Transmission spokesperson mentioned, “The general state of affairs within the area continues to be evolving and it will be untimely to take a position on its long-term outcomes.”
Taliban took management in Afghanistan after 20 years following the drawdown of the US navy. In its first presser on Tuesday, the fundamentalist Islamic power mentioned Afghanistan’s interactions with international nations will proceed and guaranteed safety to worldwide organisations.
Nevertheless, Wapcos, a public sector company providing providers in water, energy and infrastructure improvement, isn’t sure if it’s going to bid for brand spanking new tasks in Afghanistan, govt director A N N Prasad informed a monetary every day.
India has been the biggest regional contributor to Afghanistan’s improvement and reconstruction tasks, investing greater than $3 billion within the Islamic nation, within the final 20 years. The interval additionally noticed the entry and exit of some Indian corporations similar to Tata Motors and Hyderabad-based BSCPL Infrastructure.
The difficult state of affairs on the bottom pressured BSCPL to exit Afghanistan after greater than a decade in 2015, mentioned MD Bollineni Seenaiah. “We didn’t wish to take any additional danger due to our workers. Therefore, determined towards collaborating in new tasks,” mentioned Seenaiah.