 "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi, New Delhi, October 10.(PTI/@HafizZiaAhmad)")
After Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India, New Delhi and Kabul are set to upgrade their diplomatic ties with the appointment of the first Taliban diplomat in India. This will be the first time the regime will install an official in New Delhi after it took over Afghanistan in August 2021 .
The move will be followed, as conveyed by Kabul to Indian authorities, by the appointment of another diplomat in late December or early January, The Times of India reported. The relationship between the two nations progressed steadily this year, which ultimately led to the visit by the Taliban foreign minister to India last month.
During the trip, India reinforced Afghanistan’s role as a trusted partner and pledged to continue the supply of aid and medical supplies to the country, even in the absence of an official recognition by the Indian government for the dispensation of that aid in Kabul. Muttaqi’s visit also saw India announcing its decision to upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to the level of an embassy and also agreeing to accept Taliban diplomats .
Both sides to soon after charge d’affaires
According to The Times of India, as the two nations normalise ties with each other, they are soon expected to have charge d’affaires leading their respective missions. On Sunday, a Taliban spokesperson expressed India’s donation of over 16 tonnes of anti-vector-borne disease medicines.
“This latest donation underscores India’s longstanding partnership and developmental support to Afghanistan. By contributing essential medical supplies, India reaffirms its role as a reliable partner in promoting health, stability and humanitarian cooperation in the region,” he said.
Muttaqi’s visit was also significant because it saw the Taliban backing India’s sovereignty over J&K. New Delhi also firmly supported Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, at a time when the Taliban’s ties with Pakistan had deteriorated.
Last month, Afghanistan and Pakistan also engaged in border clashes , which ended after both nations agreed to a ceasefire . However, the Taliban this week accused Pakistan of working to create chaos in Afghanistan that would allow the US to return and take over Bagram airbase .