Afghanistan “no threat to India”: says Taliban a day after Dubai meeting

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri meets Afghanistan Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai on January 8, 2025
| Photo Credit: ANI

The present day Afghanistan “does not pose a threat to any nation”, said the Taliban administration in Kabul on Thursday (January 9, 2024). In a statement issued a day after the Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the ‘Foreign Minister’ of the so called ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)’, the Taliban expressed gratitude for Indian humanitarian assistance  to the Afghan people and informed  that the Iranian port of Chabahar was discussed between the two sides during the talks held on Wednesday (January 8, 2024).

“Expressing gratitude for India’s humanitarian assistance, Foreign Minister Muttaqi underlined a desire of strengthening political & economic relations with India as a key regional and economic player, in line with IEA’s balanced and economy-centric foreign policy,” said the ‘Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ of the Taliban administration. India has not recognized the Taliban rulers in Kabul where the outfit took charge in August 2021. The Taliban also informed that the discussion between Mr Muttaqi and Mr Misri was attended by its Deputy Ministers of Commerce and Transport. Mr Muttaqi expressed hope for liberalising the visa regime between Afghanistan and India. 

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met on 8 January with Taliban’s official in charge of foreign affairs, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in the United Arab Emirates in an unprecedented outreach to the organization, which took over Kabul in a military blietzkrieg after overthrowing the government of President Ashraf Ghani.  

“In response to the request from the Afghan side, India will provide further material support in the first instance to the health sector and for the rehabilitation of refugees. The two sides also discussed strengthening of sports (cricket) cooperation,” said the Ministry of External Affairs after the meeting in Dubai on Wednesday.

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“It was also agreed to promote the use of Chabahar port for supporting trade and commercial activities, including for the purpose of humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan,” said the Ministry of External Affairs. Significantly, the meeting between Mr Misri and Mawlawi Muttaqi came days after India “unequivocally condemned” the bombing of Afghan territories on December 24-25 by Pakistan.