India unveils new development push for Afghanistan, upgrades mission in Kabul
Muttaqi, who arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, is the first senior Taliban functionary to officially visit India.
India on Friday unveiled a slew of developmental initiatives for Afghanistan and an upgrade of its diplomatic presence in Kabul as external affairs minister S Jaishankar met Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for the first time to discuss ways to advance bilateral cooperation and tackle security challenges.
Muttaqi, who arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, is the first senior Taliban functionary to officially visit the country, marking a significant step forward in India’s efforts to enhance a working relationship with the regime in Kabul while stopping short of formal recognition of the Taliban administration.
The visit comes at a time when the relations of both Afghanistan and India with Pakistan are under severe strain. The Taliban, which faces Pakistan’s ire for not doing more to crack down on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, had condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in April and has sought formal recognition from India.
Jaishankar and Muttaqi were effusive in their remarks regarding India-Afghanistan relations in televised remarks at the start of their meeting at Hyderabad House, the official venue used by India to host visiting dignitaries. Muttaqi described India as an “important country” in the region and sought the creation of a mechanism to further strengthen ties.
“Your visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan,” said Jaishankar, who had spoken to Muttaqi twice on phone this year. “However, a meeting between us in person has a special value in allowing us to exchange perspectives, identify common interests and forge closer cooperation.”
Muttaqi, speaking in Pashto, said the two sides should build on their civilisational and people-to-people ties over the centuries and “close policy positions on many issues” to increase engagements and exchanges. “We hope that through talks and dialogue, we can increase the level of understanding between us,” he said.
He gave an assurance that the Taliban will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against other countries and sought closer cooperation for counter-terrorism.
“We will not allow any [element] to threaten anyone else or use the territory of Afghanistan against others. Daesh is a challenge for the region and Afghanistan is at the frontlines of this struggle,” Muttaqi said. “The need of our region is that we combat this menace together and this is a need for the common prosperity of both nations.”
Muttaqi also noted that the Taliban never “gave a statement against India” amid the “many ups and downs” witnessed during the American occupation of Afghanistan, and instead “always sought good relations with India”.
Jaishankar said the growth and prosperity of India and Afghanistan are jeopardised by the “shared threat of cross-border terrorism” and called for coordinated efforts to combat all forms of terror. “We appreciate your sensitivity towards India’s security concerns. Your solidarity with us in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack was noteworthy,” he said.
Jaishankar announced a range of initiatives to both deepen the working relationship with the Taliban and to resume assistance for developmental projects in Afghanistan, which had largely stopped after the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani government in 2021, and to ease visas for Afghan nationals.
“Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development as well as regional stability and resilience. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India’s technical mission in Kabul to the status of embassy of India,” he said.
India had pulled out all its diplomats and shuttered its missions in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. Though it re-established a diplomatic presence in Kabul in June 2022, the nomenclature used for this was a “technical mission”.
Jaishankar said India will back six new developmental projects and is open to maintenance and repairs of completed projects, as well as steps to finish others that the country had committed to in the past. India will also provide 20 ambulances, MRI and CT scan machines for Afghan hospitals, vaccines and cancer medicines.
Following the delivery of relief materials after the earthquake in Kunar last month, India will contribute to reconstruction of homes in the affected areas, Jaishankar said. India will also help build homes and provide aid to “forcibly repatriated” Afghan refugees, he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan pushing back hundreds of thousands of Afghans.
A consignment of food assistance will be delivered in Kabul on Friday, and India is ready to collaborate with Afghanistan for the sustainable management of water resources in keeping with a history of cooperating on water management.
“Your invitation to Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan is also deeply appreciated. This can be discussed further,” Jaishankar said, while noting the start of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi.
India will also expand avenues for Afghan students to study in Indian universities and deepen support for the Afghan cricket team. Following India’s launch of a new visa module for Afghan nationals in April, more visas are being issued in the medical, business and student categories, Jaishankar said.
