In first high level engagement with Taliban, foreign secy meets Afghan FM

In the meeting, India's foreign sceretary Vikram Misri underlined India's historic friendship with the Afghan people and the strong people-to-people contacts between the two countries

India's foreign sceretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday met acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai, the first high level engagement of its kind between the two countries after the Taliban's takeover of Kabul.

 

In the meeting, Misri underlined India’s historic friendship with the Afghan populace and the strong people-to-people contacts between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. 

 

The meeting follows India's recent condemnation of Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghanistan, accusing it of following its habitual practice of blaming neighbours for internal challenges.

 

Engagement with Taliban

 

India has also decided to consider the possibilities of engagement with the Taliban in the near future on development related projects. 'In view of the current need for development activities, it was decided that India would consider engaging in development projects in the near future, in addition to the ongoing humanitarian assistance programme,' the MEA said.

 

 

In the meeting, Afghanistan also requested India to provide further material support for the health sector and for the 'rehabilitation of refugees', to which India has agreed. India's support for the said rehabilitation comes months after Pakistan started the second phase of its controversial plan to repatriate undocumented Afghan refugees back to their country.

 

In terms of mateial support, India has already dispatched shipments consisting of 50,000 MTs of wheat, 300 tonnes of medicine, 27 tonnes of earthquake relief aid, 100 million polio doses, and 1.5 million doses of Covid vaccine to Afghanistan so far.

 

Chabahar to Cricket

 

The two sides also agreed to promote the use of the strategically-important Chabahar port for trade and other commercial activities. Earlier in May 2024, India had signed a 10-year contract with Iran for the operation of a terminal at the port. Chabahar port is seen as India's strategic connectivity link to Afghanistan, and thereon to Central Asia and the larger Eurasian region.

 

The two sides also discussed the strengthening of sports cooperation, particularly cricket, a highly popular game in both nations. In fact, the Afghan team had for a long time made India it's home base while the home country was being ravaged by war and political instability. 

 

In the meeting, the Taliban official also underlined Afghanistan's sensitivities to India's security concerns. Both nations have also agreed to take the discussions forward.