ANALYSIS - Kabul bomb likely aimed to influence U.S. Afghan policy

By Krittivas Mukherjee

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A bomb attack on India's Kabul embassy may have been aimed at limiting India's role in Western efforts to stabilise Afghanistan, at a time when the United States is re-examining strategy in the 8-year-long Afghan war.

Insurgent militants would like to force India to scale down its presence in Afghanistan, where New Delhi is spending $1.2 billion on projects supporting the U.S.-backed government's development drive, important to gaining popular support.

The Taliban have quickly claimed responsibility for Thursday's blast which killed 17 people.

But many in India also see the hand of Pakistan, which competes with India for strategic space in Afghanistan and considers it a fall-back position in the event of war with India.

The Indian government has not yet pointed a finger of blame at anyone, while Pakistan has condemned the attack.

Hindu majority India seeks to retain influence in Afghanistan to deter anti-India militant training camps there -- which it accuses Pakistan of backing -- and to more generally try to counter a militant Islamic surge threatening regional security.

An assault blamed on Islamic militants killed 166 people in Mumbai last November.

"It is clear that India's growing role in Afghanistan will draw counter measures that will complicate all efforts to bring peace," said Ashok Mehta, a retired Indian army general.