November 7, 2024
2 mins read

India’s point person for Afghanistan meets Taliban minister

The Indian foreign ministry’s pointperson for Afghanistan met the Taliban’s acting defence minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob for the first time on Wednesday and discussed ways to expand relations between the two sides.

People familiar with the matter described the meeting in Kabul between Yaqoob and JP Singh, joint secretary of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division of the external affairs ministry, as a significant development. Yaqoob, the son of Taliban founder and late supreme leader Mullah Omar, has not publicly interacted with Indian interlocutors in the past, they said on condition of anonymity.

Singh, who is also joint secretary in the external affairs minister’s office, held separate meetings with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and former president Hamid Karzai.

There was no official word from the Indian side on the meetings. Singh, who has largely spearheaded the Indian side’s engagement with the Taliban, was on an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital.

The Taliban’s defence ministry said in a post on X that Yaqoob met an Indian delegation led by Singh and discussed ways to expand relations.

“In this meeting, the two sides emphasised their common desire to expand bilateral relations, especially in the field of humanitarian cooperation and other issues, and expressed their interest in strengthening further interactions between Afghanistan and India,” the defence ministry said in its post in Pashto.

Karzai said in a post on X that he and Singh had discussed the long-standing and historic ties between the two countries and emphasised the on strengthening of bilateral relations “as much as possible”.

While appreciating India’s cooperation with the people of Afghanistan, Karzai said more attention should be paid to the education and training of the Afghan youth, developing trade, and easing travel between the two sides.

Singh has met Muttaki, a senior Taliban leader who played a role in negotiations with the US for the withdrawal of American troops, several times since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021.

Like most other countries, India doesn’t recognise the Taliban regime in Kabul. After pulling out all its diplomats after the Taliban takeover, India re-established an official presence in the Afghan capital by reopening its mission and deploying a “technical team” in June 2022. Since then, the Indian side has engaged the Taliban and provided humanitarian aid, including wheat, medicines and medical supplies, for the Afghan people.

ALSO READ: For India, Trump win may pave way for FTA talks

Previous Story

India’s panel on External Affairs defers discussion on Canada, China

Next Story

Kamal Harris vows to ‘never give up the fight’

Latest from -Top News

Monsoon Havoc in Pakistan

Since June 26, torrential rains have killed at least 299 people—including 140 children—and injured 715 in Pakistan…reports Asian Lite News Since June 26, torrential monsoon rains have devastated Pakistan, killing at least

Bangladesh’s Dark Turn

With the Awami League outlawed and absent from the electoral fray, a vacuum has emerged — one that has not necessarily been filled with stability….reports Asian Lite News Bangladesh’s political landscape has

Trump Repeats India-Pak Ceasefire Claim

The latest remarks came days after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted that the US President ended several conflicts around the world, including the one between India and Pakistan…reports Asian Lite

Pezeshkian’s Pak Pitch Begins

Pezeshkian’s visit marks the second time an Iranian president has visited Pakistan in less than two years Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for a two-day official visit, marking

‘Water Bomb’ on Brahmaputra?

Experts say the dam project could alter the river’s natural flow and place downstream nations at risk of floods and droughts. The construction of a mega hydropower dam by China on the
Go toTop