After the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan three years ago and American troops left Afghanistan, the situation there worsened. India has begun improving relations with the group. Reported Bloomberg.
Last week, Indian diplomat J. P. Singh and Taliban Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid met in Kabul to discuss ways to expand relations and increase humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, according to an official statement. It was the first official meeting of Indian representatives with Mujahid, who is considered a key figure in the group.
During the visit, the Taliban appealed to New Delhi to invest in mining the country’s vast and untapped mineral resources and to restore infrastructure projects, including road construction, Afghan officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
While India has received similar requests from the Afghan government in the past, this is the first time they have come from the Taliban’s top leadership.
On Tuesday, November 12, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar New Media reported, citing an unnamed Afghan foreign ministry official, that Hafiz Ikramuddin Kamil had been appointed acting consul in Mumbai.
The Afghan community in India requires consular services, like document authentication, but that appointment does not imply recognition of the Taliban, according to Indian officials who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Afghan community in India requires consular services, like document authentication, but that appointment does not imply recognition of the Taliban, according to Indian officials who also spoke on condition of anonymity. And India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment when contacted for more information.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi last week, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said India’s approach to Afghanistan is based on “long-standing historical ties” between the two countries. “I don’t have any details about what kind of help they’re asking for,” Jaiswal added.
Prior to the Taliban taking back control of Afghanistan, India was working on over 500 infrastructure and development projects in the country, ranging from water and energy supply to health and education. In August 2021, India closed its embassy in Kabul and has since limited engagement with Afghanistan to occasional humanitarian assistance.
Although several countries, including China, Pakistan, and Russia, have hosted representatives of the Taliban, they also do not formally recognize the Taliban government, which the international community criticizes for human rights abuses. Last year, China became the first country to officially appoint a new ambassador to Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power.
The Taliban is reportedly hoping for a “reset” of relations with the United States in the wake of American President Donald Trump’s comeback to power, in addition to forging ties with India.
Also Read: India is buying MQ-9B SkyGuardian and sea-Guardian drones from the US
