New Delhi, Nov. 18 -- The sixth round of the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan (CAP) foreign ministers' dialogue-also referred to as the China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Practical Cooperation Dialogue (CAPPCD)-was held in Kabul on August 20, 2025. The meeting opened the door for a trilateral partnership aimed at extending China's flagship initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), into Afghanistan, a project being described as CPEC 2.0. The development has once again raised concerns for India.

The CAP trilateral mechanism was first initiated by China on December 26, 2017 to enhance cooperation and involve Afghanistan and Pakistan in expanding China's broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The idea of extending CPEC into Afghanistan was...