Jaishankar and Taliban Foreign Minister hold first official talk since 2021 | Here’s what was discussed

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held an official telephone conversation on Thursday, marking the highest-level contact between India and the Taliban since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. The discussion followed previous diplomatic engagements, including a meeting in January between Muttaqi and Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Dubai.

During the call, Jaishankar appreciated the Taliban’s condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which resulted in 26 civilian deaths. He also welcomed Muttaqi’s firm rejection of attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports, referring to claims that India had “hired” the Taliban to carry out a false flag operation at Pahalgam. Jaishankar stated, “Good conversation with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi this evening. Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.”

The two officials discussed ways to enhance bilateral ties, promote trade, and advance diplomatic engagement. The Taliban expressed interest in stronger relations with India, highlighting the “historic nature of Afghanistan-India relations” and the desire for closer cooperation. Muttaqi also requested facilitation for issuing visas to Afghan traders and patients and called for the release and return of Afghan prisoners currently held in India.

Both sides emphasized the development of the Chabahar port in Iran, where an Indian state-run company operates a terminal. The port serves as a strategic transit point for commercial cargo and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The Taliban expressed interest in using the port to ship goods to India, especially after the closure of the land border crossing at Attari, which was widely used by Afghan traders.

India has maintained a cautious approach toward the Taliban regime, refraining from official recognition while continuing diplomatic engagement through senior officials. Recent interactions, including Jaishankar’s call, are part of India’s broader strategy to maintain influence in Afghanistan and address regional security concerns, particularly in the context of strained India-Pakistan relations.