Afghan FM Muttaqi’s India Visit Cancelled

Quick Summary

• Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, had a planned visit to India this month for diplomatic talks.
• The visit was called off due to a travel ban imposed by the UN Security Council,requiring a waiver that was not granted.
• Had the meeting occurred, it would have marked the first ministerial-level engagement between India and Taliban-led Afghanistan since the group’s takeover in August 2021.
• External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal did not confirm specifics of the cancelled trip but noted India’s continued engagement with Afghan authorities and support for its people’s progress aspirations.
• India has maintained contacts with Afghan leadership despite not formally recognizing the Taliban-led government, advocating rather for an inclusive government in Afghanistan and ensuring its territory is not used for terrorism against other nations.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The cancellation of Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s visit highlights both logistical challenges under international sanctions and broader geopolitical issues surrounding India’s relationship with Afghanistan post-Taliban takeover. While New Delhi continues humanitarian outreach and supports developmental goals in Afghanistan, its stance on recognizing Taliban leadership remains cautious due to concerns about inclusivity and regional security risks like terrorism.A high-level ministerial interaction would have signaled progress or at least initiated dialog on contentious issues like governance structure or cross-border security concerns impacting South Asia as a whole-goals now deferred indefinitely.

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