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On his visit, Amir Khan Muttaqi is set to press for India to continue and even increase humanitarian aid apart from considering recognising the Taliban regime formally
Amir Khan Muttaqi (AFP)
On his visit, Amir Khan Muttaqi will press for India to continue and even increase humanitarian aid apart from considering recognising the Taliban regime formally
Afghanistan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India will be a new page in India-Afghanistan relations. The fact that he is arriving itself is proof of confirmation of the will for bolstering ties with India.
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In order to grasp what relations between Afghanistan and India will be, it is compulsory to look at the background from the Taliban’s comeback as rulers in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021.
The moment the Taliban came to power, the perception became that they were under Pakistan’s influence, primarily following photos of Pakistan’s ISI chief that emerged from Kabul. In India, this formed a negative impression of the Taliban, and it appeared that India had lost its strategic space in Afghanistan.
It seemed initially that the interests of India had vanished, but New Delhi carefully considered its next move. Observers on Indian diplomacy and experts on global affairs—those with special attention on South Asia—cautiously mentioned that this time, the Taliban showed a softer stance towards India.
Experts pointed out that the Taliban are mostly Pashtuns—tribes that had relations with India dating as far back as around 250 years ago, long before 1947. In contrast, they didn’t have such intense historical relations with Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. This long relationship provided diplomats with room to manoeuvre.
In the meantime, Pakistan was being criticised within Afghanistan itself, with Islamabad having little sympathies from the Afghans.
Indian diplomats initiated secret backchannel interactions with Taliban representatives. Trust began building up over time, primarily as there were humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. Without raising overt international focus, India provided support—delivering on aid, food grains, medicines, and supplies. This was a gradual, cautious process.
On June 2, 2022, Afghanistan was visited by senior Indian diplomat JP Singh. When news of Singh’s meeting with the Taliban leadership, such as Amir Khan Muttaqi, emerged, it came as a shock for regional and international observers. The meeting, as it was interpreted, was an aggressive act, especially considering that afterwards Muttaqi preferred meeting Singh again instead of relying unilaterally on Pakistan.
Next, India reopened its embassy in Kabul and escalated aid, sending wheat, medicines, and other necessities. Indian diplomats, with women officers, started making visits at Afghan schools, hospitals, and development projects in place.
Indian authorities also met Afghanistan’s defence minister Mullah Yaqoob and commerce minister Nooruddin Azizi over time, boosting bilateral works. The big question, though, remained: whether India should extend official recognition to the Taliban regime, as the United Nations has not granted recognition?
Despite this, India lodged uninterrupted humanitarian support, enhanced visa services, and carried out diplomatic exchanges.
By 2025, even the foreign secretary of India had a secret meeting with Muttaqi in Dubai, preparing grounds for current proceedings.
In this context, now it’s the turn of Amir Khan Muttaqi who will travel on October 10, and visit New Delhi, where he will hold talks with India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar and other authorities. This is significantly considered as the result of years of cautious diplomacy. The talks will not only be bilateral but also will have huge regional implications.
One of the biggest confidence-builders was earlier achieved by the Taliban as it took measures for resolution of concerns of involvement of ISI in gurdwaras in Afghanistan. The Taliban renovated the Kabul-based Karte Parwan Gurdwara and also allowed Hindus and Sikhs evacuated earlier in ‘Operation Devi Shakti’ by India to return.
They granted them safety and returned their assets—actions that reassured India, which has been vocal about saving minority communities in Afghanistan.
News18 has learnt that on his visit, Muttaqi will press for India to continue and even increase humanitarian aid as Afghan citizens face tremendous stress. He can also persuade India to seriously consider recognising the Taliban regime formally, increase visa grants, intensify development aid, and strengthen trade relations. One significant hindrance to trade continues to be Pakistan’s hesitation over giving a go-ahead for two-way transit. Nevertheless, India has been finding out alternate networks for improving commercial ties with Afghanistan.
October 04, 2025, 15:46 IST
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