Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is scheduled to visit New Delhi on October 9–10, in what is being seen as a major step in reshaping India’s engagement with Afghanistan, according to reports by IANS.
Muttaqi, who has led Afghanistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry since 2021, was earlier expected to travel to India in August but was unable to secure a travel ban exemption from the United Nations Security Council. His visit now comes at a critical juncture, as tensions between Kabul and Islamabad continue to escalate over the volatile Durand Line.
Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters and even launched cross-border air strikes in recent weeks, a move that drew sharp criticism from the Taliban leadership. The visit is therefore being closely watched, with analysts viewing it as a significant development in Delhi-Kabul relations.
Growing Diplomatic Contacts
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, India has refrained from granting formal recognition to the regime. However, New Delhi has steadily expanded its engagement, reopening its embassy in Kabul, sending humanitarian aid after the devastating earthquake, and allowing Taliban diplomats to operate Afghanistan’s consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad.
In recent months, a series of Taliban officials have travelled to India. Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Medicine and Food, Hamdullah Zahid, attended the International Exhibition on Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare in New Delhi last month. Around the same time, another senior Taliban figure handling security and strategic affairs quietly visited the capital and stayed for several weeks.
Embassy Question Looms Large
Currently, Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi remains under the charge of Muhammad Ibrahim Khil, a representative of the former Ashraf Ghani government. However, senior officials familiar with the matter told IANS that Muttaqi’s visit could pave the way for the embassy’s handover to Taliban-appointed diplomats.
The visit marks a “tectonic shift” in relations, as one official described, highlighting how both Delhi and Kabul have gradually strengthened diplomatic engagement despite initial hesitations.
With Muttaqi’s arrival next week, observers believe India may need to navigate a delicate balance: deepening ties with Kabul while avoiding the appearance of extending full recognition to the Taliban regime.
