Warning About Taliban-India Ties and Implications for Regional Stability.
A prominent U.S. think tank has warned that potential ties between the Taliban and India could trigger deep and strategic disputes in South Asia, threatening regional stability in 2026.
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), in its latest report titled “Predictable Disputes in 2026”, emphasized that rising tensions among Pakistan, India, and the Taliban could seriously jeopardize both regional and global peace.
The report assessed the likelihood of renewed conflict between Pakistan and India as “moderate” and highlighted escalating violence in Kashmir as a factor that could push the two nuclear-armed neighbors toward military confrontation.
These concerns follow a short-term conflict in May 10–13, 2025, which ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
The CFR also warned that closer Taliban-India ties and cross-border attacks from Afghan territory could significantly strain Islamabad-Taliban relations, intensifying instability along the border.
Previously, in October 15–20, 2025, border clashes between Pakistan and Taliban forces reportedly left over 200 Taliban fighters dead and 23 Pakistani soldiers killed, highlighting the critical importance of strategic management of regional disputes.
