What happened
On October 10, 2025, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to arrive in India for a high-level visit — the first from Kabul since the Taliban seized power in 2021. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) committee approved a temporary exemption to Muttaqi’s travel ban on September 30, allowing him to travel to New Delhi from October 9 to 16. The visit, which was postponed last month due to the travel restrictions, comes after his participation in the Moscow Format talks on October 6. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Muttaqi had last spoken on May 15, marking the highest-level contact between the two sides since the Taliban takeover.
Why it matters to India
Muttaqi’s visit signals a cautious but notable shift in India’s engagement with the Taliban government. While New Delhi has not officially recognised the regime, it has maintained limited diplomatic and humanitarian channels, including the re-establishment of a technical team in Kabul and continued aid shipments. The visit could provide India an opportunity to press for an inclusive government in Afghanistan and reaffirm its stance that Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism. It also positions India to protect its regional interests amid evolving geopolitical alignments and humanitarian concerns in Afghanistan.