India Holds First Talks with Taliban; MEA Official Meets Mullah Omar's Son in Kabul

MGMMTeam
Nov 7, 2024
3 min read

In a notable diplomatic development, India held its first discussions with the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan. MEA Joint Secretary J.P. Singh engaged in talks with Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, the son of the group's former supreme leader and current acting defense minister.

As reported by the Times of India, Singh, who oversees affairs related to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, traveled to Kabul on Wednesday for the meeting with Yaqub.

JP Singh, who has largely spearheaded the Indian side’s engagement with the Taliban, was on an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital. (X/MoDAfghanistan2)

During his visit, Singh also met with Afghanistan's acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, as well as former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, as part of India's broader efforts to strengthen its ties with Afghanistan.

An unnamed Afghan official shared with the Times of India that the meeting indicates India's willingness to not only increase humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan but also to play a role in its reconstruction, even without formally recognizing the Taliban-led government.

At the same time, the Taliban has been urging India for some time to approve the appointment of an ambassador from its administration to the Afghan Embassy, emphasizing the importance of its relations with New Delhi.

Statement from Taliban Foreign Ministry

Talking about the meeting, the Taliban foreign ministry said, “In this meeting, the two sides emphasized their common desire to expand bilateral relations, especially in the fields of humanitarian cooperation and other issues, and expressed their interest in strengthening further interactions between Afghanistan and India.”

MEA Discusses Aid and Use of Chabahar Port in Talks with Taliban

The Indian terminal at Iran's Chabahar port, used for exports and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, was one of the key topics discussed during meetings between an Indian delegation and Taliban leaders in Kabul this week, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

The delegation, headed by JP Singh, Joint Secretary for the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division, met with Taliban figures including Acting Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki, and former President Hamid Karzai during their visit to Kabul.

This marked the first publicly acknowledged meeting between Yaqoob, son of Taliban founder Mullah Omar, and a senior Indian official since the fall of the Afghan government in August 2021. Singh, on his second visit to Kabul this year, has had several prior discussions with Muttaki in recent years.

The talks centered on India’s ongoing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, as well as the potential uses of the Chabahar port by the Afghan business community for trade, exports, imports, and other activities, as explained by Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a media briefing.

An Indian state-run company operates the terminal at Chabahar, which has facilitated the transshipment of goods to Afghanistan in recent years. Singh has played a significant role in enhancing the terminal’s capacity, including the installation of cranes.

During their visit on November 4-5, the delegation also met with heads of UN agencies and senior Afghan officials.

India has sent numerous shipments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, including 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 40,000 litres of Malathion pesticide, 30 tonnes of medicines, and 28 tonnes of earthquake relief supplies.

Despite ongoing engagement, India, like most other countries, has not officially recognized the Taliban regime. After withdrawing its diplomats following the Taliban's takeover, India resumed an official presence in Kabul in June 2022 by reopening its mission and deploying a "technical team." Since then, India has maintained contact with the Taliban both in Kabul and in third countries.