India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held an official phone conversation on Thursday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan. This makes the first minister-level communication between India and the Taliban regime since the group took control of Afghanistan in 2021, a significant development given that New Delhi has not formally recognized the Taliban government.
The timing of the call is notable as it follows the Taliban’s public condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists lost their lives in a brutal assault believed to have been carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists.
Dr. Jaishankar took to social media platform X to share insights from the conversation. “Had a constructive discussion this evening with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi,” he wrote. He expressed gratitude for the Taliban’s strong denouncement of the Pahalgam incident, and reiterated India’s long-standing ties with the Afghan people, emphasizing continued Indian support for Afghanistan’s development.
The two ministers reportedly explored possibilities for future collaboration. Dr. Jaishankar also addressed recent attempts by sections of the Pakistani media to sow discord between New Delhi and Kabul. He welcomed Mr. Muttaqi’s clear dismissal of misleading reports suggesting Afghan involvement in the Kashmir violence, calling it a positive gesture that reinforces mutual understanding.
During the conversation, Taliban’s Director of Communication, Hafiz Zia Ahmad revealed that Muttaqi made several key requests and raised important issues with Jaishankar.
Muttaqi reportedly urged India to issue more visas to Afghan citizens, particularly those in urgent need of medical treatment. He also brought up matters related to bilateral trade, the release and repatriation of Afghan nationals imprisoned in India, and the progress of the Chabahar Port project in Iran .
Ahmad shared the details in a series of posts on social media in Pashto, summarizing the major topics covered during the ministers’ discussion.
The conversation around the Chabahar Port gains added significance as it comes at a time when India and Pakistan have completely severed trade relations and shut down all land border crossings following the Pahalgam terror attack. This breakdown in ties has direct consequences for Afghanistan, a landlocked nation that has traditionally relied on land routes through Pakistan to access Indian markets.
Although India and Afghanistan technically share a land border, that corridor has remained inaccessible since 1947, as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). With no viable land route, Chabahar Port in Iran emerges as the only practical alternative for facilitating trade between the two countries.