Taliban back upgrade in ties as India explores ministerial visit

NEW DELHI: The Taliban have backed high-level engagement with India, amid efforts by the Indian government to host Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi despite the travel ban imposed on him by the UNSC. India remains in touch with the Taliban for an early visit by Muttaqi. The Taliban head of political office and Afghan ambassador to Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, told TOI there’s a need for both countries to upgrade and strengthen their ties. “For that, high level visits of the foreign ministers’ level is a need. It will pave the way for exploring various fields of cooperation including trade between the two countries,” said Shaheen, who this week urged the UN to give Afghanistan’s seat to the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate. India is likely to approach the UNSC with a request to waive the travel ban on Muttaqi to allow him to visit the country, once the dates for the visit are finalised. The Afghan media had reported late last month that the visit was called off after the Security Council denied him waiver. However, it’s learnt that while dates were discussed for a visit by Muttaqi in August last week, these eventually didn’t work out. TOI had reported on August 28 that Muttaqi was likely to travel to India soon, for what would be the first such high-level visit from Afghanistan to India since the Taliban took control of Kabul in August, 2021. India’s ties with the Taliban have improved dramatically in the past few years with the Taliban fully appreciating India’s continued humanitarian assistance, consistent with its historical relations and friendship with the Afghan people. India sent more humanitarian aid to Afghanistan last week after the country was hit by a 6.0 magnitude earthquake. With Taliban not wavering in its security guarantees to India, including assurances that it won’t allow Pakistan-based terror groups to use Afghanistan for anti-India activities, India believes it’s now time to further expand its footprint in the country, despite remaining in consonance with the international community on the issue of recognition. India had already upgraded its engagement with the Taliban as foreign secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai this year and external affairs Jaishankar spoke to him twice. The visit by Muttaqi will still be a landmark event, as it will signal India’s intention to take the development partnership, which includes over 500 projects spread across the country in critical sectors, to the next level.