Kabul (TDI): Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi started his visit to India on Wednesday, marking the first trip by a Taliban official to New Delhi since the group took control of Afghanistan in 2021.
According to the Afghan foreign ministry, Muttaqi will meet Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and other senior officials to discuss a broad range of political, economic, and trade matters.
His visit follows a regional meeting in Moscow, where Afghanistan’s neighbours, including Pakistan, Iran, China, and several Central Asian republics, issued a joint declaration rejecting the establishment of foreign military infrastructure in the region. Analysts viewed this as a pointed response to reports suggesting that US President Donald Trump sought to regain access to the Bagram Air Base near Kabul.
At present, Russia remains the only country to have officially recognised the Taliban-led government.
India and Afghanistan historically enjoyed warm relations, but New Delhi shut down its embassy in Kabul after the US withdrawal in 2021 and the Taliban’s return to power. A limited diplomatic presence was later re-established to support trade, humanitarian aid, and medical assistance.
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Although India has yet to formally recognise the Taliban administration, both sides have maintained contact through periodic meetings and working-level discussions.
Muttaqi’s trip became possible after the UN Security Council Committee temporarily suspended a travel ban against him to permit diplomatic engagements abroad, the Indian foreign ministry confirmed last week.
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Talks during the visit are expected to focus on bilateral trade, exports of Afghan dry fruits, cooperation in the health sector, consular affairs, and access to regional ports, according to an earlier statement from Kabul.
