NEW DELHI: In a significant improvement that’s prone to strengthen India-Taliban relations, Afghanistan’s International Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi shall be visiting New Delhi subsequent week, sources informed IANS. As reported by IANS earlier, FM Muttaqi was prone to go to New Delhi within the final week of August, however again then, he did not obtain a journey ban exemption from the United Nations Safety Council.
Sources confirmed that the senior Taliban authorities Minister who has been heading the International Affairs Ministry since 2021 shall be right here in New Delhi on October 9-10.
As Delhi and Kabul are dealing with a brand new tectonic shift of their bilateral relations after the takeover of the Taliban in 2021, each nations have enhanced their diplomatic relations, and his go to to New Delhi at a time when Kabul and Islamabad are dealing with a tough time is being seen as a significant improvement.
At current, the Durand Line stays on the boil amidst rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Islamabad has accused Kabul of protecting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cadre and not too long ago even carried out cross-border air assaults, inviting robust criticism from the Taliban management.
In the previous couple of months, a number of key officers from the Taliban have visited New Delhi, together with Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Medication and Meals, Hamdullah Zahid, who was within the Indian capital final month for the eleventh version of the Worldwide Exhibition on Prescription drugs and Healthcare.
Notably, one other prime Taliban official dealing with safety and strategic affairs, whose id can’t be revealed, got here to Delhi final month and departed solely final week.
Sources conscious of the matter mentioned, “He got here to Delhi in September and departed solely final week. He stayed right here for almost a month and held energetic discussions with Indian counterparts on key points.”
India has thus far kept away from granting formal recognition to the Taliban regime. Nonetheless, from reopening the Embassy in Kabul to dispatching steady humanitarian help – particularly after the lethal earthquake – New Delhi continues to keep up common contact with the Taliban regime.
Additionally, India has handed over Afghanistan’s consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad to Taliban diplomats.
An official who didn’t want to be named informed IANS that “with the go to of FM Muttaqi to New Delhi, there are potentialities that Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi might quickly be given to Taliban officers”.
In the mean time, the embassy in New Delhi is being managed by Cost d’affaires Muhammad Ibrahim Khil, who’s representing the earlier regime of Ashraf Ghani.