External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Aamir Khan Muttaki in New Delhi on Friday. The talks were the first high-level talks between the two countries since the Taliban seized power in Kabul following the withdrawal of US troops in 2021. Welcoming Muttaki and his delegation, Jaishankar said, we welcome you and your delegation to India. This visit is a step towards taking our relations forward. We got the opportunity to talk to each other during the Pahalgam attack and the earthquake in Afghanistan. Meeting in person is especially beneficial in changing perspectives and sharing interests.
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As a close neighbor and well-wisher of the Afghan people, India takes a keen interest in your development and progress. Amid this new engagement, Jaishankar announced that India will reopen its embassy in Kabul, which will be a major diplomatic step towards strengthening bilateral ties with the Taliban-ruled administration. Jaishankar said that India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan. Close cooperation between us contributes to your national development as well as regional stability and resilience. To further strengthen this, I am happy to announce today the elevation of India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India.
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Muttaqi, who is among several Taliban leaders under UN sanctions, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday after receiving temporary travel exemption from a UN Security Council committee. His visit comes shortly after he attended an international conference on Afghanistan in Russia, which was attended by representatives of India, China, Pakistan, Iran and Central Asian countries.