India Afghanistan Meeting: High-Level Meeting with FM Muttaqi Marks New Chapter in Bilateral Relations

India Afghanistan Meeting — In a significant diplomatic move, India has reignited its engagement with Afghanistan, signaling a fresh chapter in bilateral relations. A top-level Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary Anand Prakash from the Ministry of External Affairs’ Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran (PAI) Division, met Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul on Sunday.

This crucial meeting focused on strengthening political, trade, transit, and regional cooperation, while also laying the groundwork for restarting stalled infrastructure projects and easing visa issuance for Afghan nationals.

India’s Renewed Engagement with Afghanistan

The delegation visit underscores India’s strategic intent to reestablish a constructive presence in Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. Following up on the high-level January meeting between India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and FM Muttaqi, this latest engagement reflects New Delhi’s proactive diplomatic approach towards Afghanistan’s evolving landscape.

According to the official Afghan readout, Anand Prakash expressed India’s deep commitment to strengthening ties, highlighting that New Delhi is eager to expand cooperation in several key areas, including infrastructure development. “India values its relations with Afghanistan and wishes to invest in various stalled projects, alongside exploring new avenues of cooperation,” the statement quoted Prakash as saying.

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Focus on Trade, Transit, and Investment

Both sides extensively discussed enhancing trade and transit links, alongside political cooperation. FM Muttaqi emphasized that Afghanistan currently offers “good opportunities for investment” and invited Indian investors to explore the Afghan market.

“There are significant opportunities for economic partnerships. We encourage Indian businesses to invest and benefit from Afghanistan’s evolving economic environment,” Muttaqi noted.

Easing Movement and Visa Issuance

Another critical point of discussion was the facilitation of people-to-people movement between the two nations. FM Muttaqi urged India to ease the visa process, particularly for Afghan businessmen, students, and medical patients, whose mobility has been restricted in recent years.

The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing on the need to:

• Expand diplomatic relations
• Facilitate delegations’ exchanges
• Ease visa issuance processes
• Strengthen bilateral economic and political cooperation

A Step Towards Stability and Cooperation

This meeting marks a vital step toward rebuilding trust and cooperation between India and Afghanistan. As the two nations look forward to future engagements, the momentum generated by Sunday’s talks could pave the way for a more stable and prosperous South Asian region.

Why This Matters

India’s outreach is not just about rebuilding old ties; it is a strategic move to counterbalance regional influences and support Afghanistan’s rebuilding efforts through genuine partnership. With the resumption of key projects and increased engagement, India is once again positioning itself as a crucial development partner for Afghanistan.