Taliban Acknowledge India as a 'Significant Regional Partner' Following Meeting

Taliban Acknowledge India as a ‘Significant Regional Partner’ Following Meeting

The Afghan Taliban’s foreign office stated that they regarded India as a “significant regional and economic partner” following a meeting with the most senior official of the Indian foreign ministry. This was the highest level of communication with Delhi since the Taliban’s seizure of Afghanistan in 2021.

On Wednesday, the interim Taliban foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, was met by India’s foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, in Dubai.India has been developing the Chabahar Port in Iran to bypass the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in its rival Pakistan. Afghanistan’s foreign ministry stated that they had discussed expanding relations with Afghanistan and bolstering trade through the port.

“The Islamic Emirate is committed to fortifying its political and economic relations with India as a significant regional and economic partner by Afghanistan’s balanced and economy-focused foreign policy,” stated the foreign ministry of Afghanistan late on Wednesday.

After the Dubai meeting, India’s foreign ministry announced that it was contemplating development initiatives in Afghanistan and seeking to enhance trade relations.Any foreign government, including India, does not officially recognize the Taliban administration.Nevertheless, India is one of several countries that have established a small mission in Kabul to facilitate trade, assistance, and medical support. They have also sent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan during the Taliban’s rule.

China and Russia, among other regional powers, are willing to increase trade and investment in Afghanistan.Pakistan, which has engaged in three conflicts against India and shares a border with both nations, may be perturbed by the Delhi meeting.Pakistan and Afghanistan also have a strained relationship, with Pakistan alleging that numerous terrorist attacks that have taken place in its nation were launched from Afghan soil. The Afghan Taliban denies this accusation.In a statement to journalists earlier this week, the Indian foreign office condemned the anti-terrorist airstrikes conducted by Pakistan on Afghan soil late last year, which were directed at the UN-designated terror group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).