NEW DELHI: Afghanistan is bracing for a great game ahead with the US and Russia trying to safeguard their interests in the war-torn country. India , not to be left behind, is working with both Washington and Moscow to bring stability to Afghanistan, notwithstanding Pakistan’s attempts to derail projects supported by New Delhi.This week will witness intense Indo-US and Indo-Russian engagement on Afghanistan. While US defence secretary James Mattis is currently in Delhi, Russian President Vladimir Putin's Special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, will visit the Indian capital later this week to explore bilateral and regional cooperation on Afghanistan. Afghanistan and the possible measures to stabilise the security situation in that country were among the key topics of discussion during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Xiamen earlier this month.It is evident from the announcement of Mattis visit that an area of focus during his maiden trip to India as the defence secretary will be Indo-Afghan partnership in Afghanistan — from security cooperation to economic projects. It is unlikely though that India will put boots on the ground, but a closer security coordination and wider intelligence-sharing mechanism between Delhi and Washington are on the cards. The Modi government may also consider enhancing training slots for Afghan security personnel as part of its commitment to Kabul.US President Donald Trump’s commitment to stay put in Afghanistan came as a welcome news for India. So have been US measures to keep Pakistan designs in check. These have been supplemented by USAID’s support to Indian investments in Afghanistan and the mega Indo-Afghan trade show in Delhi between September 27 and 30.Pakistan army’s negative involvement in Afghanistan is the challenge which the US has shirked in addressing and neutralising for 17 years. Pakistan’s army is not seen as part of the solution in Afghanistan, but the problem itself.If the US intentions in 2017 on Afghanistan are now clear, objectives of Russia are to prevent terrorism spilling from Afghanistan into Central Asia and subsequently into the Russian heartland. An unstable Central Asia can cause headache for Moscow. It is also the region where Indian interests are expanding, and India’s membership to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation offers it a platform to deliberate upon challenges in Afghanistan. Simultaneously, while US-Iran ties may hit a low, Iran is key to India’s Afghan strategy as the closest gateway to the landlocked country. A regional approach by India to contribute to Afghan’s stability, therefore, cannot be abandoned.