What does Russia’s recognition of Taliban government mean?

Russia has become the first country in the world to officially recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Nearly four years after the Taliban took Kabul on August 15, 2021 — also India’s Independence Day — the Russian government accepted the new Afghan ambassador, Gul Hassan Hassan, as the new Afghan plenipotentiary in Moscow. The black-and-white Shahadah flag, which proclaims in Arabic, ‘there is no God, but God,’ was raised on a post and now flies above embassy building in the Russian capital.

India has responded to the development with a cautious “wait-and-watch” approach. Although New Delhi has not officially recognised the Taliban, it has reopened a diplomatic mission in Kabul within a year of shutting it down when the Taliban took over. Two years ago, it permitted the Taliban to send a Consul General to Mumbai. On January 8 this year, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held talks with Taliban representatives — the highest level of interaction since the Taliban came to power.

India’s engagement is motivated by security interests, competition for influence in the region against China, and an interest in keeping a handle on Afghanistan.

Competing for influence in inner Asia, Moscow’s attitude toward the Taliban has shifted drastically over the last two decades. However, the significance of this recognition remains complex, as formal international validation still depends on the United Nations and global opinion.

Back in 2003, Russia placed the Taliban on its “terrorist” blacklist due to the group’s support for separatists in the North Caucasus.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Russia and other countries in the region have been compelled to revise their strategies to compete for influence. Russia became the first country to open a business representative office in Kabul following the Taliban takeover. It also announced plans to use Afghanistan as a transit hub for gas heading to Southeast Asia.

The Afghan government is not officially recognised by any world body, and the United Nations refers to the administration as the “Taliban de facto authorities”. Moscow has taken steps to normalise relations with the Taliban government, removing its designation as a “terrorist organisation” in April and inviting representatives to official events.

In July 2024, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, called the Taliban “allies in the fight against terrorism”. Only Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates recognised the Taliban during their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001.

This time, multiple other states, including China and Pakistan, have accepted Taliban ambassadors in their capitals, but have not officially recognised Afghanistan as an Islamic emirate.

However, their restrictions on women and girls – barring them from education and squeezing them from public life – have been key sticking points for other nations.

The Taliban have keenly sought international recognition and investment, as the country recovers from four decades of war, including the Soviet invasion from 1979 to 1989.

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