India has begun to reestablish diplomatic ties with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. DW's Shalu Yadav spoke with three Afghan women studying in India who are concerned about their safety in light of this development.

Kabul

Afghan women residing in India are facing increasing uncertainty as their visas expire, leaving them at risk of deportation. Many of these women, who arrived as students, fear returning to Afghanistan due to the Taliban's restrictions on women's rights and the threat to their personal safety and careers.

India's lack of a formal refugee law complicates their situation, as asylum requests are handled individually and often denied. The women report that even UN refugee cards offer no protection, and they remain vulnerable to exploitation while living and working illegally. They have appealed to the Indian government for support, emphasizing the dangers they would face if forced to return to Afghanistan.

"Don't send us back": Afghan women in India fear deportation

They're making Kabuli Pulao, Afghanistan's national dish. The aroma as it cooks is as close to home as these women can get. We cannot show the smiles on their faces. These Afghan students are scared for their safety, even though they're in India. Their visas have either run out or are about to, so they'll soon be illegal here. That makes working and renting homes very hard. To get new documents, they'd have to go back to Afghanistan. Even if we have to do menial jobs or go hungry in India, we don't want to go to Afghanistan. If we go there, our entire careers, our entire futures, all the hard work will be wasted. The girls are being treated like animals there. My brother called me and said, no matter how many problems you face in India, find a way out. They prefer India than outside India, but don't even utter the name of Afghanistan. They do have basic civil liberties in India, but that could change any moment. Every time these Afghan girls walk outside their homes, it's a gamble with their future. There's constant fear of being stalked by authorities and deported to Afghanistan, a country many describe as a vast prison for women. There, they would not even be allowed to walk outside their home without a man, even for something as simple as grocery shopping. There are dozens of Afghan students like these, stuck in limbo. India not having a refugee law makes their situation all the more complicated. Asylum requests by foreigners are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, but these women haven't had any luck. Even the UN office here says they can't do anything to help us. They only say that there is no law for refugees in India, so they can't do anything. If we show our UN refugee cards at the Foreign Registration Office asking for help, they throw them in our faces and tell us they're worthless. This saw what happened in 2021, when the Americans left Afghanistan to the Taliban. They watched in horror as the world shrank for their female friends and relatives. Being here felt safe, but they were dismayed when democratic India established diplomatic ties with the Taliban regime. Now they fear Taliban officials in India might come after them and send them back to Afghanistan. My biggest fear is that if I step into Afghanistan and someone comes and takes me away, I won't be able to reach my family. We hear in the news that the Taliban kidnap girls and take them away. Secondly, my entire future will be ruined there. My entire career will be ruined. It's like chopping the wings of a free bird. Their life in India remains in the shadows, and working illegally makes these women vulnerable to abuse. As a woman, I ask the Indian government, if you truly call yourself a friend to the Afghan people, this is the time to help your friends.

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