News Brief
In A First, Jaishankar Talks To Afghan Taliban FM Muttaqi; Welcomes Condemnation Of Pahalgam Terror Attack, Rejection Of Anti-Propaganda
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (15 May) spoke with Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Foreign Minister in the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan — marking the first high-level contact between New Delhi and the Taliban regime.
While Indian diplomats have met Taliban representatives in the past — including at Dubai and in Kabul — this is the first engagement at the level of India’s External Affairs Minister.
The talks between EAM Jaishankar and his Afghan counterpart gains significance as India has not formally recognised the new Taliban regime that seized power in Kabul in August 2021.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he “deeply appreciated” Muttaqi’s condemnation of the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 innocent people, mostly tourists, were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists.
"Good conversation with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi this evening. Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack," Jaishankar said.
The Afghan minister, he noted, also firmly rejected recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan — an apparent reference to Pakistani military's propaganda of an Indian missile striking Afghan territory.
"Welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports," the EAM said.
"Discussed ways and means of taking cooperation forward," he added.
Earlier in January, foreign secretary Vikram Misri had met Muttaqi in Dubai.
During the meeting, discussions focuses on "humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, bilateral issues and security situation in the region".
The foreign secretary had reiterated India's commitment to continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the Afghan people.
Both sides had also agreed to promote trade and commerce, including through Chabahar port.
Further, India also extended its support to the health sector and rehabilitation of refugees in Afghanistan.
