Afghanistan’s UN-sanctioned foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in India on Thursday, marking the first visit by a senior Taliban leader since the group returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces.
The trip, enabled by a UN Security Council travel waiver, is being closely watched by Pakistan as New Delhi deepens its cautious engagement with the Taliban government. “We look forward to engaging discussions with him on bilateral relations and regional issues,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement, extending a “warm welcome” to Muttaqi.
Muttaqi, who previously met India’s top diplomat Vikram Misri in Dubai earlier this year, is scheduled to hold talks with Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. While neither side has disclosed the agenda, analysts believe trade and security will dominate discussions, though India is unlikely to extend formal recognition to the Taliban at this stage.
“New Delhi is eager to establish its influence in Kabul and not be left behind by its arch-rivals, China and Pakistan,” said Praveen Donthi of the International Crisis Group. Muttaqi’s visit follows recent meetings in Russia, the only country so far to officially recognize the Taliban administration.
Despite the Taliban’s push for legitimacy, experts say recognition remains distant. “India is not in a hurry to provide diplomatic recognition to the Taliban,” noted Rakesh Sood, India’s former ambassador to Kabul.
India has long hosted tens of thousands of Afghans, many of whom fled after the Taliban’s return to power. Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi closed in 2023, though consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad continue to provide limited services. For now, India maintains that its mission in Kabul is restricted to coordinating humanitarian aid.
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