Afghanistan’s United Nations-sanctioned foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arrived in India on Thursday, the first ever visit by a senior Taliban leader since its return to power in 2021.
The week-long visit marks a significant moment in New Delhi’s cautious re-engagement with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers.
Although India does not recognise the Taliban government, the trip signals a gradual deepening of contact after years of limited diplomatic interaction focused primarily on humanitarian support.
Muttaqi, who was granted a temporary travel exemption by the United Nations to undertake the visit, is expected to meet external affairs minister S. Jaishankar.
Discussions are likely to cover counterterrorism cooperation, trade relations, and India’s ongoing humanitarian and developmental assistance to Afghanistan.
The Taliban minister is also expected to request approval to appoint an official envoy to the Afghan embassy in New Delhi and expand the staff at Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, India has sought to maintain a delicate balance — keeping communication channels open for humanitarian purposes while avoiding formal recognition of the regime.
In June 2022, New Delhi deployed a “technical team” to Kabul to oversee aid delivery and assess ways to support the Afghan people.
Since then, the Taliban have repeatedly pressed India to accept their diplomatic representative.
Recent months have seen a gradual thaw in ties, with senior Indian officials holding multiple rounds of talks with Taliban representatives.
In November last year, Indian diplomat J.P. Singh met senior members of the Taliban, including the acting defence minister.
Earlier this year, India’s senior diplomat Vikram Misri held discussions with Muttaqi in Dubai — the most high-profile interaction between the two sides so far.
This outreach comes amid a deterioration of relations between the Taliban regime and Pakistan, once seen as its closest ally.
Growing tensions over cross-border terrorism and security issues have led to airstrikes by Islamabad on Afghan territory.
The Taliban leadership, seeking to assert its independence, now appears eager to strengthen ties with regional powers like India as part of a broader diplomatic diversification.
For New Delhi, the renewed engagement offers an opportunity to re-establish its presence in Afghanistan through developmental projects, humanitarian programs, and capacity-building initiatives.
It also allows India to safeguard its regional interests and monitor security dynamics that could impact its borders.
The Taliban’s diplomatic overtures toward India could reflect an effort to reduce reliance on Pakistan and to project itself as an autonomous regional actor.
At the same time, India’s calibrated approach appears aimed at ensuring Afghanistan does not once again become a strategic outpost for forces hostile to its interests.
While both sides are expected to proceed cautiously, Muttaqi’s visit could mark a turning point in the evolving relationship.
For India, deepening engagement with Afghanistan’s rulers serves both humanitarian and strategic objectives.
For the Taliban, engaging New Delhi helps expand their international legitimacy and geopolitical reach.
The visit thus represents more than a diplomatic formality — it underscores a shifting regional equation as both nations navigate new realities in the post-US withdrawal landscape.
It is also worth noting that New Delhi joined Islamabad, Beijing, and Moscow to support the Taliban and reject US President Donald Trump's call for a US military presence at Afghanistan's Bagram air base.
The Taliban returned to power following the withdrawal of United States-led forces and the fall of Kabul four years ago.
In a joint statement this week, New Delhi decried foreign military deployments as "unacceptable" for regional stability. The move is seen as a multi-layered diplomatic message to Washington.