India’s Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, held his first high-level conversation with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government on Thursday. The call with acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi marked a rare engagement between the two neighbors since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in 2021.
During the discussion, Jaishankar addressed last month’s deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. “Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack,” Jaishankar said in a post on social media platform X on May 15. He also reaffirmed India’s “traditional friendship with the Afghan people” and pledged continued support for Afghanistan’s development needs.
The Taliban’s statement on X highlighted that the talks centered on “enhancing bilateral relations, promoting trade and upgrading diplomatic engagement.” Key issues such as the repatriation of Afghan prisoners held in India and the resumption of visa services for Afghan nationals were also discussed.
India severed diplomatic ties with Afghanistan in 2021, closing its embassy in Kabul and limiting official contacts following the Taliban takeover. However, recent signals suggest India may permit a senior Taliban representative to manage the Afghan embassy in New Delhi, reflecting cautious steps toward re-engagement.
To date, only a few countries—including China, Pakistan, and Russia—have formally recognized Taliban diplomats despite international criticism over the group’s human rights record. Thursday’s call marks a tentative move by India to navigate a complex relationship with Afghanistan under Taliban rule while addressing regional security concerns.
