Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi to visit India next week; first high-level trip since 2021 takeover

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to visit India next week, in the first high-level trip from Kabul after Taliban captured power overthrowing the Ashraf Ghani government around four years ago.

The Afghan Foreign Minister is expected to visit India from October 10, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. However, there is no official word on the visit yet.

Muttaqi was scheduled to visit New Delhi last month but it was called off in view of a travel ban that he faced under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions.

On September 30, a UNSC committee approved a temporary exemption to the travel ban, allowing Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from October 9 to 16, according to a UN statement.

Afghan media reported that Muttaqi will travel to Moscow on October 6 to attend the seventh round of Moscow Format talks.

The UNSC has slapped sanctions against all leading Taliban leaders and they have to secure a waiver for foreign travels.

Muttaqi’s visit is expected to add a new dimension to India’s relations with the Taliban set up in Kabul.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had held a phone conversation with Muttaqi on May 15. It was the highest level of contact between New Delhi and Kabul since the Taliban came to power.

India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul.

New Delhi has also been insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.

In January, the Taliban regime described India as an “important” regional and economic power following talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Muttaqi.

India has so far sent several shipments of humanitarian aid, including wheat and medicines, to Afghanistan.

India has been pitching to provide unimpeded aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian situation in the country.

In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a “technical team” in its embassy in the Afghan capital.

India had withdrawn its officials from the embassy on concerns over security after the Taliban seized power in August 2021.