India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday. This marks the first political-level contact between India and the Taliban regime since it seized power in August 2021.
The conversation came days after the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which the Taliban regime condemned. The attack led to Operation Sindoor, a joint counter-strike by India and Pakistan that halted further military escalation. Kabul’s condemnation of the attack was acknowledged and appreciated by Jaishankar during the call.
Jaishankar posted on X, “Good conversation with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi this evening. Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack… Welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.” This was a reference to false Pakistani media claims that Indian missiles had hit Afghan territory — an allegation India termed “ludicrous.”
The Indian minister reaffirmed India’s traditional friendship with the Afghan people and assured continued support for development and humanitarian needs.
The Taliban Foreign Ministry confirmed the call, stating that both sides discussed strengthening bilateral ties, increasing trade, and expanding diplomatic relations. Muttaqi requested Indian visas for Afghan traders and medical patients. He also sought release and repatriation of Afghan prisoners currently in India. Both leaders stressed the importance of joint development projects and particularly highlighted the role of the Chabahar Port for regional trade connectivity.
India has not officially recognized the Taliban regime, but has continued to provide humanitarian aid. In January 2025, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai — marking the first high-level engagement. In April 2025, M. Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary in charge of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, was sent to Kabul for diplomatic outreach. The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry had condemned the Pahalgam attack even before Prakash’s visit, calling it an act that undermines regional peace.
This is the first formal political contact since 1999–2000, when then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh was in touch with the Taliban’s then Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil during the IC-814 hijacking crisis in Kandahar.
