This book is a searing history of Indo-Afghan relations. It looks at how Afghanistan was once the heartland of India but is reduced now to a troubled cousin in the contemporary era. Drawing on archival records, as well as ancient Greek, Sanskrit, Chinese, and Persian literature, the book traces the history of Afghanistan from ancient times up to the recent Taliban takeover of the country in 2020. It presents an analytical history of race, culture, and belonging in a world shaken and transformed by colonisation. The author provides a new interpretation of the region and discusses South Asia’s courteous racial etiquette.

An indispensable read, the book will be useful for students and researchers of history, Middle East and Central Asian studies, international relations, politics, development studies, and Asian studies.