NEW DELHI: The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan is making a fresh push to normalise relations with India as part of its broader campaign for international legitimacy, sources familiar with the development said.
Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s phone call with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday was the highest-level contact between New Delhi and the Taliban since the group seized power in August 2021.
“The phone call, which took place ahead of Muttaqi’s scheduled visits to Iran and China, signals Kabul’s growing interest in re-engaging India on critical bilateral issues,” said a source.
These include trade facilitation, visa processes, the repatriation of Afghan prisoners, and strengthening collaboration on the strategic Chabahar port — a key project that India has backed to enhance regional connectivity and help landlocked Afghanistan gain sea access, bypassing Pakistan.
“There is a consistent conversation between Indian and Taliban officials,” pointed out a source.
This includes a meeting between Muttaqi and Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Dubai in January, and a recent visit to Kabul by an Indian diplomat overseeing Afghanistan relations, shortly after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taliban officials strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and dismissed Pakistani military reports alleging Indian missile strikes on Afghan soil as “baseless.”
These efforts are seen as part of a broader Taliban effort to distance itself from regional instability and present a more responsible image on the world stage.
Beyond India, Muttaqi’s upcoming diplomatic calendar underscores the Taliban’s expanding regional outreach. He is expected to visit Tehran and Beijing in the coming weeks as the group seeks both recognition and economic engagement.
In January, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made a rare trip to Kabul — the first by a top Iranian diplomat in nine years. The visit marked a turning point in Afghan-Iranian relations, which had previously been strained.
Talks in Kabul focused on security, trade, and the possibility of a comprehensive bilateral cooperation agreement. While Tehran has not formally recognised the Taliban government, both sides have moved toward a more pragmatic and cooperative relationship since 2021.
China has invited Muttaqi for an official visit in May. The invitation followed discussions between Muttaqi and China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, where both sides explored deeper political and economic ties.
The Taliban’s foreign ministry said China reaffirmed its support at international forums and expressed a strong interest in boosting trade and investment in Afghanistan.
“China assured its continued backing of the Islamic Emirate in global platforms,” the ministry said, using the Taliban’s official name for their government.
The China trip would be another milestone in the Taliban’s effort to gain international acceptance, following Beijing’s decision in February to formally accept the credentials of a Taliban-appointed ambassador — the first country to do so.