The Comrades and the Mullahs: China, Afghanistan and the New Asian Geopolitics

by Ananth Krishnan, Stanly Johny

English 304 pages 1 edition

How is the emergence of China as a key player in Afghanistan impacting Asia? The withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan has left a lasting impact on Asian geopolitics-and has shifted the focus onto China. In The Comrades and the Mullahs , Ananth Krishnan and Stanly Johny trace the evolution of China’s Afghan policy, especially with respect to its relations with the Taliban and Beijing’s increasing closeness with Islamabad. Drawing on their extensive reportage and travels in the region, Krishnan and Johny examine Beijing’s interests and the drivers of its foreign policy in detail, including how the Silk Road project—the Belt and Road Initiative—is shaping China-Afghan relations, and delineate the consequences this might have for India, especially in Kashmir. Lucid and well-argued, The Comrades and the Mullahs is essential reading for anyone interested in the emerging geopolitical equations in Asia and its larger implications for the rest of the world. ‘Emphatically describes the unfolding tragedy of Afghanistan and its implications for the geopolitics of Asia.’ Business Standard ‘[A] comprehensive summation of events in Afghanistan in recent decades … a good, timely read’ TCA Rangachari, The Hindu BusinessLine ‘Useful insights into areas of current global significance … This book deserves to be read by India’s political and strategic community’ Vivek Katju, The Tribune