Taliban Deputy Minister Makes Rare Trip To New Delhi
A senior Taliban official visited India last week in what Indian media described as a rare sign of growing engagement between New Delhi and the group.
A senior Taliban official visited India last week in what Indian media described as a rare sign of growing engagement between New Delhi and the group.
The Taliban’s deputy health minister travelled to attend a health services and pharmaceutical exhibition, according to Indian outlets. The Times of India reported that the trip took place ahead of a possible visit later this year by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, which could further strengthen ties between India and the Taliban.
The paper said India is working to facilitate Muttaqi’s visit and has been consulting with the UN Security Council about lifting his travel ban. Unlike Muttaqi, the deputy health minister is not subject to UN sanctions and therefore did not require approval to travel.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Taliban’s political office in Qatar, told the Times of India that high-level visits at the foreign minister level were necessary to pave the way for broader cooperation, including trade.
The outreach comes as tensions rise between the Taliban and Pakistan. Islamabad has accused both the Taliban and India of backing Baloch separatists and the Pakistani Taliban to destabilise the country.
Meanwhile, on Friday, sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban had expelled an Indian diplomat accused of meeting opposition groups abroad. A Taliban spokesperson denied the claim, saying the diplomat’s assignment had simply ended and that no expulsion had taken place.