But what type of presence? Abhijit Iyer-Mitra says as the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, India can no longer be passive and instead, must adopt a gutsy Afghan policy that safeguards its own vital interests.

The program coordinator at the New Delhi-based Observer Foundation says India’s involvement in Afghanistan has nothing to do with countering Pakistan in a so-called proxy war.

“What are our interests out there? It’s just a stable, independent Afghanistan, full stop," said Iyer-Mitra. "It does not have to be subservient to India, it’s not that our writ has to function there or anything like that. It’s just an independent, sovereign country.”

Indians and Afghans here in New Delhi say India can play an important role in Afghanistan, such as advising the country on its upcoming election or investing more in the country’s education system.

Kabul resident Afzal Totakhail - on a sightseeing trip to India - says the bottom line is simple: “I hope [for] a peaceful Afghanistan; that’s my hope," he said. "And I hope Afghanistan becomes a good country like India, like America and Canada.”

It’s a hope shared by many here as Afghanistan faces an uncertain future.