After Pakistan, China to skip India's NSA-level meet on Afghanistan

Cites 'scheduling issues'; NSAs of central Asian countries confirm participation in Nov 10 regional security dialogue

In a bid to reassert its influence in Afghanistan, protect precious physical and policy assets, and build on its popularity among the people of the embattled country, India will host a meeting of the national security advisors (NSAs) of ‘regional’ neighbours of Afghanistan — that Pakistan has refused to attend and China is not expected to, citing ‘scheduling issues’.

The high point of the November 10 meeting — that was to be held earlier but was called off because of the Covid-19 outbreak — is that NSAs of all central Asian countries (not just those that have a physical border