The Impact of External Actors on Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations: an Analysis of Nato Intervention and India's Strategic Presence in Afghanistan"

Abstract

Afghanistan has remained a major arena of international and regional competition due to its strategic location between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The involvement of external actors, particularly NATO forces after 2001 and regional powers including India, significantly influenced Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. This paper examines how foreign intervention and regional strategic competition affected bilateral relations between Islamabad and Kabul. The study uses a qualitative historical research approach based on primary and secondary sources. The analysis demonstrates that NATO intervention transformed Afghanistan’s security environment, altered Pakistan’s strategic calculations, and intensified mutual mistrust between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The study concludes that external involvement, combined with existing historical disputes, contributed to diplomatic challenges and security tensions between the two neighboring states.