In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi of the Taliban government will visit India on October 9. This marks the first senior-level Taliban delegation to New Delhi since the group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. The UN Security Council has granted Muttaqi a temporary travel exemption from October 9 to 16, underlining the importance of the visit for both Kabul and the wider region.
Indian diplomatic sources confirmed that preparations for the visit had been underway for months. Since early 2025, Indian officials, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, have held multiple rounds of discussions with Taliban leaders in neutral venues such as Dubai. In May, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also engaged directly with Muttaqi following India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, thanking Kabul for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack and reaffirming India’s long-standing friendship with the Afghan people.
Taliban’s Shift on Terrorism
Earlier this year, the Taliban’s condemnation of the terror attack in Pahalgam was seen as a turning point in Indo-Afghan ties. The move hinted at shared concerns over Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and opened the door for greater bilateral engagement.
India’s Humanitarian Outreach
India has steadily expanded humanitarian support to Afghanistan over the past two years. Following the devastating earthquake in September, New Delhi dispatched 1,000 family tents, 15 tonnes of food supplies, and later 21 tonnes of relief materials including medicines, hygiene kits, blankets, and generators. Since 2021, India’s assistance has included almost 50,000 tonnes of wheat, over 330 tonnes of medicines and vaccines, 40,000 litres of pesticides, and other essentials, helping millions of Afghans during times of crisis.
Strategic and Regional Implications
Muttaqi’s visit is being viewed as a diplomatic setback for Pakistan, long considered Kabul’s key ally. Relations between Islamabad and the Taliban deteriorated after Pakistan deported over 80,000 Afghan refugees earlier this year. The shift has opened the door for India to strengthen its presence in Afghanistan. Analysts emphasize that Kabul’s diplomatic outreach toward India reflects an effort to diversify its foreign ties and reduce dependence on Pakistan.
For New Delhi, this engagement is a strategic maneuver to protect its security interests, counter terrorism emanating from the region, and balance the influence of both China and Pakistan in Afghanistan’s future.
