NEW DELHI: The stunning turnaround in India’s ties with the Taliban in the past few years on the back of its continued humanitarian aid for the people of Afghanistan is set to intensify further with a likely visit to India by Afghanistan acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on October 9-10. The main talks with external affairs minister S Jaishankar is expected on October 10.India had been in touch with Kabul since August for a visit by Muttaqi, who faces a travel ban by the UN Security Council. India had approached the Council for a waiver of the ban to facilitate his proposed visit to New Delhi and it is understood that request has now been granted, allowing the Indian government to finalise the date for his visit.The unprecedented visit by the senior Taliban minister will cap a landmark year in India’s ties with the Taliban that saw India shedding inhibitions of the past to upgrade its engagements with the regime in Kabul, despite not recognising it officially.This was done through a meeting between Muttaqi and foreign secretary Vikram Misri in Dubai in January and the first political contact between the 2 sides in the form of a phone conversation between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and the Afghan minister in May.Backing India’s decision to host a high-level Taliban minister, the Taliban head of political office and Afghan ambassador to Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, told TOI last month high-level visits are required to upgrade and strengthen India-Afghanistan ties. Shaheen had also said that the visit will pave the way for exploring various fields of cooperation including trade between the two countries.In their meeting in Dubai, Misri assured Muttaqi India would consider engaging in development projects soon, in addition to continuing its ongoing humanitarian assistance programme. India maintains that its approach to Afghanistan continues to be guided by historical relations, friendship with Afghan people and a development partnership that includes more than 500 projects spread across all 34 provinces of the country. On the issue of recognition though, India maintains that its position is and will be in consonance with that of the international community.Since the return of the Taliban to Kabul in 2021, India has supplied to Afghanistan many shipments of humanitarian assistance, including 50,000 MTs of wheat through the land border with Pakistan.As India prepares to work on new projects, it has been reassuring for the Indian government to know that the Taliban have so far not allowed Pakistan based terror groups to use Afghan territory for anti-India activities. India has also been considering expanding its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, with the Taliban assuring Indian authorities there would be no let up in efforts to ensure the safety and security of diplomats.
