More than four years after the Taliban regained control of Kabul following the U.S. troop withdrawal in 2021, Afghanistan&rsquo;s political landscape has transformed irreversibly.
Once the most formidable opposition force, the Northern Alliance dominant through the 1990s and early 2000s from its Panjshir Valley stronghold has now effectively collapsed. What remains are scattered voices abroad, lacking both domestic and international backing.
Ahmad Massoud, son of the famed anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, has tried to revive his father&rsquo;s legacy by presenting himself as the leader of a new resistance front. In recent months, he has reportedly convened conferences in Western capitals, seeking political and financial support.
But unlike the 1990s, when India and several Western nations supported the resistance, today&rsquo;s movement finds itself isolated.
A senior Afghan political figure, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that the Northern Alliance has &ldquo;become defunct.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Many of its key figures have either left Afghanistan permanently and settled abroad, or in some cases, merged into the Taliban dispensation itself, abandoning the Alliance&rsquo;s ideology. What exists now is a splintered group with no real significance,&rdquo; the leader said.
The decline is striking given the Alliance&rsquo;s historical role. During the Taliban&rsquo;s first rule (1996&ndash;2001), India firmly opposed the regime and backed the Northern Alliance with political, logistical, and moral support. After 9/11, Northern Alliance fighters helped pave the way for the U.S.-led invasion, placing the group at the centre of Afghanistan&rsquo;s transition.
Now, however, the geopolitical context has shifted. With the Taliban entrenched and foreign forces gone, most global capitals including New Delhi are adopting pragmatic engagement.
While India has stopped short of formally recognising the Taliban government, it has expanded contacts, reopening its Kabul embassy, sending humanitarian aid (including earthquake relief), and maintaining quiet diplomatic dialogue.
In recent months, India has handed over Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad, and experts suggest the Afghan mission in New Delhi could soon be transferred to Taliban diplomats as well.
&ldquo;Delhi is engaging with the Taliban regime and is likely to strengthen this engagement further, given the regional context and its national interest,&rdquo; the Afghan leader added.
For Ahmad Massoud and what remains of the Northern Alliance, however, the outlook appears increasingly bleak. [Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]

Northern Alliance fades, India eyes Taliban

With Northern Alliance in decline, India deepens pragmatic ties with Taliban regime

Northern Alliance fades, India eyes Taliban

With Northern Alliance in decline, India deepens pragmatic ties with Taliban regime

September 9, 2025 | 19:49 IST