The United Nations Security Council has temporarily lifted the travel ban on Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, enabling him to visit India from October 9 to 16. This would mark the first visit to India by a senior Taliban leader since the group took control of Afghanistan in 2021 after the withdrawal of US forces.
India and Afghanistan have historically maintained close relations when the Taliban were not in power. However, the two countries’ ties have remained strained since the Taliban’s return to governance. Muttaqi is among the Taliban officials sanctioned by the UN, which includes restrictions on travel and assets. Although the exemptions granted for diplomacy are rare, they are sometimes permitted to facilitate important discussions.
India’s foreign ministry confirmed that it had been in communication with the Afghan government and mentioned its humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan after a major earthquake in August. However, it did not officially confirm the visit. Afghan and Indian media have reported that Muttaqi will first visit Russia before arriving in New Delhi. In Moscow, he is expected to discuss Afghanistan’s situation with representatives from Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Central Asian nations.
Political analyst Hekmatullah Hekmat emphasized the significance of this visit for the Taliban government, noting that Afghanistan is urgently trying to establish stronger regional relations, especially with neighboring countries, to improve its political, economic, and trade ties. Recognition remains a major challenge for the Taliban government, with only Russia officially recognizing them so far.
In 2021, India closed its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban’s return to power, but it reopened a technical mission in 2022 to coordinate humanitarian efforts. The visit by Muttaqi, if confirmed, represents a further step in reshaping the diplomatic landscape between India and Afghanistan.
