Afghan Taliban's Top Diplomat Makes Landmark Visit to India

Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has commenced a significant diplomatic mission to India, arriving in New Delhi Thursday for a week-long visit that represents the first high-level engagement between the Taliban administration and Indian government since the group's return to power in August 2021. The landmark visit signals evolving diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Kabul's interim government, with discussions expected to address bilateral cooperation and pressing regional matters.

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal confirmed Muttaqi's arrival, noting via social media platform X that Indian authorities "look forward to engaging discussions with him on bilateral relations and regional issues." The Afghan diplomat's travel required special authorization, with Muttaqi receiving a specific exemption from the UN Security Council Committee to facilitate his diplomatic mission to India, which will continue through October 16.

India initially closed its embassy in Kabul following the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government and the Taliban's subsequent takeover of the war-torn nation. However, diplomatic presence was partially restored in 2022 when New Delhi resumed operations with a "technical team" at the embassy, establishing a channel for direct engagement with the interim Taliban administration. Muttaqi's current visit represents the most substantial diplomatic interaction between the two governments since the political transition.

The diplomatic engagement occurs against the backdrop of substantial economic ties, with bilateral trade between Afghanistan and India reaching $890 million last year despite political uncertainties. The discussions in New Delhi are expected to address both immediate bilateral concerns and broader regional stability issues, reflecting India's continuing strategic interest in Afghan affairs and the Taliban administration's efforts to establish normalized international relations.