Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister and senior leader of Taliban administration, Aamir Khan Muttaki is on a tour of India these days. This is the first official visit of the Taliban government to India, which is considered very important from diplomatic point of view. Let us tell you that after America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, Taliban had captured Kabul, after which India closed its embassy in its capital Kabul and recalled all its diplomats.
It is noteworthy that after four years, India has signaled a new beginning in relations by welcoming the Taliban delegation. According to available information, Muttaki met Foreign Minister S. in New Delhi. Met Jaishankar, in which India has announced to reopen its embassy in Kabul. While issuing a joint statement, both the countries have talked about increasing mutual cooperation, encouraging trade and strengthening regional stability.
Describing India as a “close friend”, Muttaki has invited Indian companies to invest in Afghanistan’s mining sector. Meanwhile, he announced that direct flights would soon be started between Kabul and major cities of India like Amritsar. During Muttaki’s visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has also made arrangements for him to visit Darul Uloom in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, which is a major Islamic education center in South Asia.
Experts believe that this step of India is part of a practical policy, through which it is trying to reduce the influence of Pakistan and strengthen strategic relations with Afghanistan. Let us tell you that relations between Pakistan and Taliban have been tense in recent years, especially regarding cross-border attacks. In this changed regional equation, India has considered increasing dialogue with Taliban as an important strategic decision.
In its joint statement, India appreciated the Taliban’s condemnation of terrorism and their promise that Afghan soil will not be used against India. For Muttaki, this tour is being considered a big step towards gaining legitimacy at the international level. Deeper ties with India could prove important for the Taliban not only economically but also diplomatically, as India has long been cooperating in education, health and development projects in Afghanistan.
Overall, this meeting is being considered as the beginning of a new phase in the politics of South Asia, where both India and Taliban are moving towards practical relations while pursuing their interests.