Which Taliban Do We Talk To?

In less than a week, two meetings have taken place to decide plans for Afghanistan's future, the first in Turkey, the second in London. Although different when it came to their participants the former brought together Afghanistan's immediate neighbours as well as UK foreign secretary David Miliband and US representatives while the latter had on its roster as many as 60 countries there was one common factor. For almost a decade, the Taliban has been inextricably linked to al-Qaeda as the enemy. Now, the US and its allies have given a clear indication in these two meetings that they are willing to make a distinction and deal with the former, or at least some sections of it. New Delhi may need to adjust to this new reality if it is to remain a stakeholder in Afghanistan.