The upcoming visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India marks a historic diplomatic breakthrough and is being seen as a major turning point in South Asian geopolitics. Scheduled for October 9–16, this will be the first high-level visit by a Taliban leader to New Delhi since the group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
The United Nations Security Council has granted Muttaqi a temporary exemption from his travel restrictions, highlighting the global significance of this diplomatic engagement.
Indian officials have been quietly preparing for this visit for months. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and senior diplomat JP Singh have had several rounds of discussions with Taliban leaders in neutral locations like Dubai.
These discussions focused mostly on India’s humanitarian assistance, refugee rehabilitation, and infrastructure collaboration, indicating New Delhi’s willingness to participate in practical ways even without formal recognition of the Taliban rule.
The breakthrough occurred on May 15, shortly after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, spoke directly with Muttaqi for the first ministerial-level communication since 2021.
During the conversation, Jaishankar praised the Taliban administration for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. This unified criticism of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism represented a watershed moment in India-Taliban ties, paving the way for formal dialogue.
Despite the Taliban’s restoration to power, India has maintained a constant humanitarian presence in Afghanistan. Since August 2021, New Delhi has shipped approximately 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 330 tonnes of medicines and vaccines, 40,000 litres of insecticides, and other critical supplies.
Following the severe earthquake in September 2025, India was one of the first to respond, providing 1,000 family tents, 15 tons of food, and later 21 tonnes of supplies, including generators and hygiene kits. These consistent efforts have cemented India’s position as a dependable partner in Afghanistan’s crisis management.
Analysts argue that this visit is a significant setback for Pakistan. For decades, Islamabad has played a significant role in Afghan politics, but its policy of forceful refugee expulsions earlier this year, which affected over 80,000 Afghans, strained relations with Kabul.
The Taliban’s growing outreach to New Delhi implies that Kabul is purposefully lessening its reliance on Pakistan while expanding its connections with regional countries. This move creates fresh opportunities for India to oppose Pakistani influence.
For India, addressing the Taliban presents both risks and opportunity. On the one hand, India is very concerned about terrorism emerging from Afghan soil and the Taliban’s human rights policies. On the other hand, strategic realities necessitate strong participation to defend Indian development investments, limit Pakistani leverage, and prevent Afghanistan from completely turning to China.
India sees itself as a helpful partner to regular Afghans by increasing cooperation in humanitarian aid, energy support, and infrastructure development, while carefully strengthening political interaction with Kabul.
The bilateral meeting planned for October 10 during Muttaqi’s visit could lay the groundwork for cautious cooperation between India and Afghanistan. While New Delhi is unlikely to offer official recognition to the Taliban government right once, continued contact indicates an understanding of political realities on the ground.
If the negotiations go well, this visit might be the start of a bigger recalibration in South Asia, with India emerging as a key actor in molding Afghanistan’s future beyond Pakistan’s traditional zone of influence.
