Jaishankar Makes Historic First Call to Taliban Foreign Minister, Marks Diplomatic Milestone

India’s External Affairs Minister speaks with Afghanistan’s acting FM Amir Khan Muttaqi for the first time, appreciating Taliban’s condemnation of the Pahalgam attack and exploring new avenues of regional cooperation.

New Delhi, May 16, 2025
In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Thursday held a historic phone conversation with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, marking India’s first ministerial-level engagement with the Taliban regime since its takeover in 2021.

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This landmark conversation comes days after the Taliban condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 Indian civilians—mostly tourists—were killed by Pakistan-linked terrorists. New Delhi has yet to formally recognise the Taliban government.

Acknowledging Taliban’s Support

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Jaishankar wrote:

“Good conversation with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi this evening. Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.”

He further emphasized India’s longstanding relationship with the Afghan people and expressed commitment to their developmental needs and humanitarian support.

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Rebuffing Pakistan’s Misinformation

In a direct rebuttal to Pakistan’s efforts to implicate the Taliban in Kashmir-related unrest, Dr. Jaishankar welcomed Muttaqi’s firm rejection of what he termed as “false and baseless reports” aimed at creating distrust between India and Afghanistan.

Strategic Talks on Trade, Visas & Chabahar Port

According to Taliban spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad, key topics during the call included:

• Visa facilitation for Afghans traveling to India for healthcare
• Bilateral trade ties
• Release of Afghan prisoners in India
• Strengthening the Chabahar Port route in Iran — now seen as vital, given the breakdown of India-Pakistan trade corridors.

For landlocked Afghanistan, which is blocked by Pakistan from direct access to India, the Chabahar Port presents a crucial alternative.

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India-Taliban Relations: A Gradual Shift

Though India has not formally recognised the Taliban administration, recent years have seen increasing levels of diplomatic engagement, largely focused on humanitarian assistance and regional stability.

Following the Pahalgam attack, Indian diplomat Anand Prakash visited Kabul, and in previous years, officials like JP Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri have met Taliban leaders multiple times — both in Kabul and in Dubai.

These interactions focused on cooperation in health, education, commerce, security, and cultural exchange.

Humanitarian Aid & Confidence-Building Measures

India has extended extensive aid to the Afghan people, including:

• 50,000+ tonnes of wheat
• 300 tonnes of medicines
• 1.5 million COVID vaccine doses
• 100 million polio doses
• Clothing, kits, pesticides, and more

In a gesture of trust, India has also allowed the Taliban administration to operate Afghan consular missions in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, offering services to Afghan citizens in India.

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S Jaishankar, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Taliban India relations, India Afghanistan, Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, Chabahar Port, humanitarian aid, India foreign policy, Taliban recognition, OperationSinddor,