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Why Afghanistan is Called the “Graveyard of Empires” :A Multi-Layered Narrative with Indian, Regional, and Local Perspectives

Conflict X

–By Anaadi Shrivastava

Introduction: The Enduring Metaphor

“May God keep you away from the venom of the cobra, the teeth of the tiger, and the revenge of the Afghans.” – Alexander

But what makes Afghanistan so difficult to conquer? And why it’s called the graveyard of empires? Is it terrain ,culture ,or something else or all? Let’s try to find the answer to these questions by visiting Afghan history and the experiences of prominent powers in recent past inside Afghanistan fighting against the Afghans.

The phrase “graveyard of empires” has echoed across history which was invoked after British retreats, Soviet withdrawals and the U.S. exit from Kabul. Yet Afghanistan is more than the site of imperial defeats; it is a complex civilisational and geopolitical crossroads where terrain, tribes and tenacity intertwine.

For India, the metaphor holds a double meaning which is a warning against imperial overreach, but also a reminder of the region’s deep roots in the subcontinent’s civilisational history.

Civilisational Context

Ancient Linkages

Afghanistan was home to Gandhara, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas, extending from present day eastern Afghanistan to northwestern Pakistan. Mentioned in the Rig Veda and Mahabharata, it was a seat of art, trade and Buddhist scholarship.

The Gandhara civilisation linked India, Persia and Central Asia is visible in Greco-Buddhist art at sites like Hadda and Bamiyan.

The Symbolic Curse of Gandhari

As we know in the Mahabharata, Gandhari who was princess of Gandhara cursed Krishna after the destruction of her sons:

“May you too see your kin perish, O Krishna, as I have seen mine.”

This curse in a way seems to be governing the fate of invaders inside Afghanistan as much as the fate of Afghanistan itself.

That curse becomes an archetype for perpetual cycles of destruction echoing through Afghan history, where invaders and empires alike meet ruin.
For locals, it is not mythic tragedy but a lived memory supported by wars from Alexander to America leaving generations scarred, yet alive.

(Map showing Gandhar/Kandahar and other sites mentioned through cultural history like Mahabharat)

Historical Resilience: Empires That Fell in Afghanistan

Empire/PowerPeriodOutcome/Impact
Achaemenids, Greeks, Mauryas, Kushans6th BCE – 3rd CERegion as trade & cultural nexus; empires co-opted rather than ruled it.
Arab Caliphates & Ghaznavids7th–11th cent.Islamization but persistent local autonomy.
Mongols & Timurids13th–15th cent.Widespread devastation, but reassertion of tribal networks.
British Empire19th cent.Three Anglo-Afghan Wars; catastrophic 1842 retreat.
Soviet Union1979–1989Withdrawal under pressure; USSR collapse soon after.
United States/NATO2001–2021Rapid withdrawal; Taliban restoration in 2021.

Each power entered seeking control however none left with stability. Geography, ethnicity, religion and kinship formed a web impossible for outsiders to master.

The British-Afghan Wars

The British-Afghan conflicts (1839–1919) are among the clearest examples of how Afghanistan earned its monicker of “the graveyard of empires.”
In the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842), the British sought to install a friendly ruler, Shah Shuja, to counter perceived Russian expansion. Despite early success, the British occupation of Kabul ended in catastrophe when Afghan tribes rebelled, ambushing retreating British troops through the treacherous Khyber Pass. Of the 16,000 soldiers and camp followers, only one British doctor, Dr. William Brydon, reportedly survived the retreat to Jalalabad.


The Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880) saw temporary British control, but resistance and tribal uprisings again forced a retreat. The Third War (1919), following World War I, ended with Afghanistan’s full independence under King Amanullah Khan.
These repeated failures underscored a pattern of external powers entering Afghanistan, but never ruling it for long.

The Great Game: India, Russia and the Frontier of Empires

The 19th-century geopolitical contest between the British Empire (from India) and Tsarist Russia which was dubbed “The Great Game” had made Afghanistan the chessboard of imperial rivalry.


For the British India, Afghanistan was seen as a critical buffer zone protecting the jewel of the Empire from Russian influence. Yet, the tribes and mountains that resisted Russian advance also made it impossible for the British to maintain lasting control.
Afghanistan’s leaders, playing one empire against another often invoked independence through diplomacy, warfare or resilience.

Indian Perspective:
For India, this historical experience is a lesson in strategy — control over the Afghan frontier determines influence over Central Asia and West Asia. Historically, the northwestern corridor has been the route of invasions into India — from Persians and Greeks to Mughals. Thus, maintaining stability or influence in Afghanistan serves both a defensive and strategic purpose for India today.

The Soviet Invasion

In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support a communist regime facing rebellion. It was followed by a decade long guerrilla war that drained Moscow’s resources and morale. Afghan Mujahideen fighters, backed by the U.S., Pakistan and Saudi Arabia used the rugged terrain and asymmetric warfare very effectively.
Over 15,000 Soviet soldiers were killed and millions of Afghans were displaced. By 1989, the Soviets withdrew becoming another nation becoming victim to attrition of Afghanistan’s endurance.

Indian Perspective:
India, maintaining cordial relations with the USSR had observed with caution. The war’s aftermath created the Taliban through Pakistan’s ISI support, sowing instability across South Asia. Today India’s policy focuses on balancing relations with Russia while countering Pakistan backed extremism in the region.

The NATO Invasion

After 9/11, the U.S. led NATO invasion (2001–2021) aimed to eliminate al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime. Despite technological superiority and two decades of nation building, Afghanistan reverted to Taliban control once Western troops withdrew.
The war consumed over $2 trillion however governance, tribal divisions and corruption undermined stability.
The U.S. withdrawal in 2021 like the British retreat of 1842 symbolized the cyclical futility of external conquest.

Indian and Strategic View:
India invested over $3 billion in Afghan reconstruction, building the Parliament, dams, roads and hospitals. Yet, the return of Taliban rule limited India’s presence.
However, unlike Pakistan and China, India remains seen by Afghans as a benign, trustworthy partner offering education, trade and connectivity rather than military dominance.
A future strategy for India could hinge on soft power, trade corridors through Iran’s Chabahar Port and cultural ties to undercut China’s Belt and Road ambitions as well as Pakistan’s attempt to create a stooge or U.S.A. rebuilding military outpost in the subcontinent for influence.

Local Lens: Pride, Pain and Continuity

For Afghans, the label “graveyard of empires” is not just outsider mockery but a declaration of pride.

“We bury those who come to rule us.”, symbolizes survival and not stagnation. The valleys of Panjshir, mountains of Hindu Kush and tribal codes like Pashtunwali have resisted central authority and foreign rule alike.

Afghanistan’s fractured but resilient social fabric transformed adversities into identity; a people forged by perpetual struggle.

Terrain and Cultural Challenges

Afghanistan’s geography is a natural defense system made up of high mountains, deep valleys and desert plains that isolate communities, making occupation logistically impossible.
The Hindu Kush mountains act as barriers that fragment armies and supply chains. Harsh winters, shifting alliances and local tribal autonomy mean that foreign soldiers rarely win hearts or ground.

Culturally, Afghanistan’s tribal codes like Pashtunwali, emphasize honor, revenge and hospitality that makes centralized control elusive.
Afghans historically have united only against invaders. Once the threat recedes, local rivalries resurface thereby confusing and exhausting foreign powers.

India’s Defence and Strategic Lens

Why Afghanistan Matters

India’s Footprint

These demonstrate that India’s influence lies in construction, not coercion.

Regional Geopolitics and Rival Influences

Pakistan-Saudi-China Axis

U.S. Withdrawal & Weapon Fallout

Post-2021, vast U.S. armaments left behind in Afghanistan re-emerged in Pakistani provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, empowering insurgent groups such as TTP and Baloch separatists.
This destabilization indirectly threatens India by strengthening non-state actors across the Durand Line.

India’s Diplomatic Comeback

Strategic Takeaways for India

  1. Avoid Imperial Overstretch: Learn from history we need to continue to engage economically and culturally, not militarily.
  2. Expand Chabahar-Afghanistan-Central Asia connectivity to bypass Pakistan entirely.
  3. Use Civilisational Diplomacy: Gandhara and Mahabharata narratives can anchor goodwill.
  4. Promote Stability, Not Regime Change: Focus on education, healthcare, women’s empowerment and technical training.
  5. Monitor Sino-Pak Expansion: Strengthen counterweights through Iran, Russia and Central Asia partnerships.
  6. Retain Low-Footprint Presence: Emphasize humanitarian and infrastructure initiatives that outlast governments.

Conclusion

Afghanistan’s title as the “graveyard of empires” captures both its curse and its crown being cursed with endless wars but crowned with resilience.
For India, it serves as both warning and opportunity:

The lesson from Gandhari’s curse still echoes that when power ignores dharma and local truth, even the greatest empires fall.

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