Taliban’s Resurgence: An Emerging Challenge for India and Central Asia

India and Central Asian countries share a deep historical and cultural bond from ancient times. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, these Central Asian Republics (CARs) emerged as key players in world politics due to their geostrategic positions and abundant natural resources. India is also one of the fastest-growing economies and emerging as a world power. The withdrawal of the United States forces from Afghanistan paved the way for the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Many countries, such as China, Russia, and Pakistan, rushed to fill this political vacuum in Afghanistan in their own style. Taliban's victory ignited a spark among other terrorist organizations waiting for a chance to destabilize the region. Afghanistan served as a safe haven for various terrorist organizations in the past, and still, these outfits operate within its boundaries. The Central Asian countries and India are at the front line of facing these encounters, as some of them are sharing their borders with Afghanistan directly. Threat to their national security is the primary one, along with spreading religious extremism, refugee exodus, drug trafficking, and others. This paper analyses two major points; first, what are the emanating threats from the Taliban's rise for Central Asian countries, and second, how can the Taliban be detrimental to India? This paper starts with the Taliban's gaining power in Afghanistan, followed by its consequences for Central Asian countries and India.