Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
KABUL – Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar held his first direct conversation with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday, marking the highest-level contact between the two nations since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
The two top diplomats discussed “ways and means of taking cooperation forward,” Jaishankar said on social media, describing the exchange as “good.” The dialogue signifies a notable shift in New Delhi’s engagement with the Taliban-led interim administration, which it had distanced itself from following the fall of the Western-backed Afghan government.
India, which closed its Kabul embassy in 2021, resumed a limited presence with a “technical team” in 2022 and has since taken steps toward re-establishing ties, including a high-level meeting earlier this year in Dubai between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Muttaqi.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry said Thursday’s talks focused on strengthening diplomatic and economic ties, enhancing trade through Iran’s Chabahar Port, easing visa processes, and addressing the release of Afghan prisoners.
Security issues were also addressed, including the April 22 terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. Jaishankar thanked Muttaqi for condemning the attack and rejecting reports that Indian missiles had struck Afghan territory during recent India-Pakistan tensions.
Muttaqi reportedly assured Jaishankar of Kabul’s commitment to regional stability, as Afghanistan voiced concern over the military flare-up between New Delhi and Islamabad, which subsided after U.S. intervention.
Bilateral trade between India and Afghanistan reached $890 million last year, reflecting ongoing economic engagement despite political challenges.
