India and Pakistan are holding two separate summits on Afghanistan this week.

The first conference started in New Delhi on November 10. National security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval chaired the meeting attended by national security advisers/secretaries of security councils of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The meeting, however, has no representation from Afghanistan, China or Pakistan.

At the second meeting, Pakistan’s special envoy on Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq Khan will host a meeting called “Troika Plus” in Islamabad on November 11.

Officials from Russia, China, the United States and Pakistan will be present at the meeting. Taliban government's acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi is also expected to attend the Islamabad meeting.

During the New Delhi meeting, the participating countries will review the security situation in the region arising from recent developments in Afghanistan, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said in a press release on November 8.

The previous such meeting was held in Iran in 2018 and 2019.

“The dialogue will deliberate upon measures to address the relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability,” the MEA release said.

What do we know about the meeting in Delhi?

The meeting—‘Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan’—chaired by Doval is being attended by Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, secretary, Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Nikolai P. Patroshev, secretary of the Security Council of Russia, and Karim Massimov, the chairman of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, among others.

Also present are Marat Makanovich, secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan, Nasrallo Rehmatzo Mahmudzoda, secretary, Security Council of Tajikistan, CK Amavov, deputy chairman of Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on Security and secretary, State Security Council of Turkmenistan, and Viktor Makhmudov, secretary-general of the National Security Council of Uzbekistan.

This is the first time that all the major Central Asian countries are participating in the meeting hosted by India, which has been given a miss by Pakistan and China. The security officials are also scheduled to jointly call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per reports.Russia has already invited India to negotiate with the Taliban. Russia and Iran’s participation in the summit is being seen as key to charting out a roadmap among allies on Afghanistan.

This is the first time that all the major Central Asian countries are participating in the meeting hosted by India, which has been given a miss by Pakistan and China. The security officials are also scheduled to jointly call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per reports.Russia has already invited India to negotiate with the Taliban. Russia and Iran’s participation in the summit is being seen as key to charting out a roadmap among allies on Afghanistan.

The high-level talks will review the regional security situation arising out of recent developments in Afghanistan, a BBC report said, quoting unnamed people. At the same time, measures for the promotion of peace, security and stability as well as humanitarian aid will be discussed, the report said.

Issues such as terrorism, and drug production and trafficking in the region will also be discussed, at the meeting.

"It is a privilege for India to host this dialogue today. We have been keenly watching the developments in Afghanistan. These have important implications not only for the people of Afghanistan but also for its neighbours and the region," NSA Ajit Doval said in the meeting as reported by ANI.

What do we know of the meeting in Pakistan?

The meeting in Islamabad called ‘Troika Plus’ will be hosted by Pakistan’s special envoy on Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq Khan on November 11.

Taliban’s acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi is also expected to be at the Islamabad meeting. Taliban official spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on November 9 that a senior delegation led by Muttaqi will travel to Pakistan on November 10.

“The delegation will discuss enhancing ties, economy, transit, refugees and expanding facilities for movement of people and will include ministers working groups from Finance and Trade Ministries,” Balkhi said in a tweet.

Special envoys for Afghanistan of three major countries, Thomas West of the US, Zameer Kabul of Russia and Yue Xiaoing of China, will meet with Pakistani and Afghan officials during the visit.

Sadiq will attend the meeting on behalf of Pakistan. The country's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said during his visit to Kabul last month that he had invited the Taliban foreign minister to attend a meeting in Pakistan, an offer Muttaqi accepted.

The visit of the Afghan foreign minister to Pakistan is taking place after the news of the ceasefire agreement between the Imran Khan government and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Khan has been batting for an international recognition to Taliban government in Afghanistan.

Why are China and Pakistan skipping the India summit on Afghanistan?

Invitations to attend the New Delhi meeting were sent to Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran and the five Central Asian countries. However, China and Pakistan refused to participate.

China communicated that it would be unable to attend the conclave because of scheduling issues, reported news agency PTI, citing sources. Pakistan, too, decided to skip the dialogue, the report said.

Even as he invited India for the Islamabad summit, Pakistan’s national security advisor Moeed Yusuf said he would not attend the New Delhi meeting since there was no representation from the Taliban regime from Afghanistan.

“I will not go, a spoiler can't be a peacemaker,” Yusuf said in response to a question by a reporter about whether Pakistan would be attending.

On China skipping the dialogue, sources said that though it is not attending the conclave because of the scheduling difficulties, it has conveyed its readiness to maintain contacts with India on Afghanistan through bilateral and multilateral channels.

India called Pakistan’s decision not to attend NSAs’ meet unfortunate.

“Pakistan’s decision is unfortunate but not surprising. It reflects its mind set of viewing Afghanistan as its protectorate. Pakistan has not attended the previous meetings of this format. Its media comments against India are an unsuccessful attempt to deflect attention from its pernicious role in Afghanistan,” a report in the Hindu said citing officials it did not identify.