(Image source from: m.thewire.in)
In a significant development concerning regional affairs, India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, engaged in a phone conversation on Thursday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban. This interaction marks the first formal outreach at the ministerial level from India to the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan. Dr. Jaishankar's dialogue with Mr. Muttaqi follows the Taliban’s official condemnation of a terrorist incident in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed by terrorists linked to Pakistan, an event that has yet to prompt formal recognition of the Taliban regime by New Delhi.
Shortly after their conversation, Dr. Jaishankar took to social media platform X to share his thoughts about the exchange, stating, "Engaging discussion with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi this evening. I truly value his denunciation of the Pahalgam terrorist act." He also emphasized India’s longstanding friendship with the Afghan populace and reiterated India’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan’s developmental aspirations. They explored strategies for enhancing collaborative efforts.
Dr. Jaishankar countered Pakistan's misleading narrative that attempts to associate the Taliban with the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir by expressing his appreciation for Mr. Muttaqi's "strong dismissal of recent initiatives aimed at sowing distrust between India and Afghanistan through unfounded and erroneous reports" broadcasted in Pakistani outlets. According to Hafiz Zia Ahmad, the Taliban’s Director of Communication, Mr. Muttaqi requested increased visa allocations for Afghan citizens, particularly those in need of medical care, during their conversation. They also touched upon themes such as bilateral trade facilitation, the repatriation of Afghan detainees in Indian prisons, and developments surrounding the Chabahar Port in Iran. The Taliban official provided updates on the conversation in Pashto, outlining the key topics discussed.
The dialogue regarding Chabahar Port is particularly crucial now as India and Pakistan have entirely severed trade relations and shuttered border posts following the Pahalgam attack. Afghanistan, being a landlocked nation, is significantly affected, relying on routes through Pakistan to access Indian markets. Although India and Afghanistan share a land boundary, it has been inaccessible since 1947 due to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Consequently, Chabahar Port in Iran presents the only viable trade route. The connection between India and the Taliban has been gradually strengthening since August 2021, when the Taliban assumed control following the withdrawal of U.S. troops. A series of meetings involving Indian diplomats and Taliban representatives have aimed at deepening cooperation reflecting the historical ties between the two nations.
While diplomatic relations remain unnormalized, India's approach towards Afghanistan under the Taliban has prioritized humanitarian assistance and the welfare of its people. Efforts to restore diplomatic ties are ongoing. Notably, on April 27 of this year, only a few days following the Pahalgam terror attack, senior Indian diplomat Anand Prakash made a visit to Kabul amid heightened tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad concerning cross-border terrorism. During his visit, Mr. Prakash met with Mr. Muttaqi. Additionally, Mr. JP Singh, another high-ranking Indian diplomat, made two trips to Afghanistan last year, first in March to engage with acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and then in November to meet with acting defense minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, both meetings taking place in Kabul.
Alongside interactions held within Afghanistan, a significant high-level meeting occurred in Dubai in January of this year, where foreign secretary Vikram Misri and an Indian delegation convened with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's acting foreign minister, along with an Afghan delegation. The discussions encompassed a broad range of topics, including the Chabahar Port. This Dubai meeting aimed to enhance partnerships in areas such as humanitarian support, developmental initiatives, trade, cultural relationships, regional security, and national interest projects. Recently, the Indian government has granted permission for the Taliban to steadily assume management of Afghan missions located in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, enabling them to deliver consular services to Afghan nationals in India and assist those arriving from Afghanistan for business, education, or medical care.
In the area of humanitarian support, by December 2024, New Delhi had sent numerous shipments totaling over 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat, 300 tonnes of medical supplies, 27 tonnes of aid for earthquake relief, 40,000 liters of pesticides, 100 million doses of polio vaccine, 1.5 million Covid vaccine doses, 11,000 hygiene kits for drug de-addiction efforts, 500 winter clothing items, and 1.2 tonnes of stationery kits in recent years.
