Foreign Ministers of India and Afghanistan hold bilateral meeting in Delhi
New Delhi: Upgrading its ties with Afghanistan, India announced on Friday to reopen its embassy in Kabul after the foreign ministers of two countries held bilateral meeting in Delhi.
Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is in India on a 6-day visit, met India’s foreign minister, S Jaishankar, wherein the latter stated that India was “fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan.”
After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, India had shut down its embassy as well as consulates in the country. However, in 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by sending a technical team to Afghanistan.
It is worth mentioning it was the first high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries since the Taliban took power in 2021 after the withdrawal of US troops.
Welcoming the Afghan foreign minister and his delegation to India, Jaishankar said that the visit marked a step “in advancing” ties between both countries.
“We had opportunities to speak with each other during the Pahalgam attack and earthquakes in Afghanistan,” Jaishankar said.
He said that “closer cooperation” between India and Afghanistan would contribute to “regional stability and resilience”.
“As a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development and progress,” Jaishankar added.
Muttaqi said that India was the first country to respond during the recent earthquake in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people relations,” the Afghan foreign minister said.
During his visit, he will also travel to Agra and the Deoband seminary and meet members of the Afghan community living in India. This marks the first-ever visit by a Taliban foreign minister to India, a major moment that signals New Delhi’s evolving approach toward the Taliban government.
Jaishankar also welcomed Afghanistan’s invitation for Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in the country.
“Your invitation is deeply appreciated. This can be discussed further. We share a strong interest in boosting trade and commerce,” he said. He also noted the start of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi, which will help strengthen connectivity.
Jaishankar announced that India will upgrade its technical mission in Afghanistan, signaling closer cooperation in areas of shared interest.
India a ‘close-friend’
Muttaqi described India as a “close friend” and thanked it for helping Afghanistan during the recent earthquake. He emphasized that the countries should build relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people connections.
Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. He added that closer cooperation between the two countries would contribute to regional stability.
“As a neighbouring country and well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development and progress,” he said.
