As a first step towards normalising diplomatic ties with the Taliban since the group seized power in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US-led forces in 2021, India on Friday said it would upgrade its “technical mission” in Kabul to the status of an embassy. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the announcement during his first meeting with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who arrived in New Delhi on Thursday - the first visit by a Taliban foreign minister. Muttaqi, on his part, said Kabul would send diplomats to India as part of step-by-step efforts to improve bilateral relations. India closed its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by deploying a “technical team”. Welcoming the Taliban-led delegation on Friday, Jaishankar said the visit marks an “important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan.” Flagging terrorism as a common threat, he said: “We have a common commitment towards growth and prosperity. However, these are endangered by the shared threat of cross-border terrorism that both our nations face. We must coordinate efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We appreciate your sensitivity towards India’s security concerns. Your solidarity with us in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack was noteworthy.” A joint statement issued after the meeting said: “Both sides unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries. They underscored the importance of promoting peace, stability and mutual trust in the region.” “India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan. Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India’s technical mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India.” Jaishankar said. His comments come in the backdrop of Pakistan’s attack on Afghanistan and US President Donald Trump’s bid to take over the Bagram air base, “Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect and political, trade and people-to-people relations. Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stands ready to create a mechanism for understanding between two countries, and this consultative mechanism works towards strengthening our relations.” Muttaqi said. “During the American occupation, there were many ups and downs. However, throughout that time, we never gave any statement against India. Rather, we always sought good relations with India. We will not allow anyone to threaten anyone else, or use our territory against others,” he said. Muttaqi has got UNSC approval to visit India from October 9 to 16. He will also travel to Agra and the Deoband seminary in the next few days. “Both sides emphasised respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. External Affairs Minister appreciated Afghan side’s understanding of India's security concerns. The Afghan Foreign Minister reiterated the commitment that the Afghan government will not allow any group or individual to use the territory of Afghanistan against India,” the joint statement said. “We have had opportunities to speak to each other, once after the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the second time, after the Kunar and Nangarhar earthquake. However, a meeting between us in person has a special value in allowing us to exchange perspectives, identify common interests and forge closer cooperation,” Jaishankar said, recalling their phone conversations in the past. “As a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development and progress. Today, I reaffirm that our longstanding partnership that has seen so many Indian projects in Afghanistan stands renewed. We can discuss the maintenance and repairs of finished projects as well as steps to complete others to which we have already committed. Beyond that, other development priorities of Afghanistan can be discussed by our teams,” he said. Recalling India's support to Afghanistan in the past, including during the Covid pandemic, he said: “We are now ready to commit to six new projects, whose details can be announced after the conclusion of our talks. A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of goodwill and I would like to hand over five of them to you personally as a symbolic step. India will also provide MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals and deliver vaccines for immunisation and cancer medicines. We have also supplied drug rehabilitation materials through UNODC and are open to doing more.” “As part of India’s ongoing healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, several projects are being undertaken, including the establishment of a thalassemia centre, a modern diagnostic centre, and replacement of the heating system at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Kabul. Additionally, India will construct a 30-bed hospital in Kabul’s Bagrami district, an oncology centre and a trauma centre in Kabul, and five maternity health clinics in the provinces of Paktika, Khost and Paktia. About 75 prosthetic limbs have been successfully fitted to Afghan nationals, which was widely appreciated by both the Afghan government and the international community. India will also continue to extend medical assistance and provide high-quality healthcare treatment to Afghan nationals,” the joint statement said. It said India also expressed its willingness to assist the Afghan government in reconstructing residential buildings in the earthquake-affected areas. “The two sides reviewed the progress of Indian humanitarian assistance programmes to Afghanistan, which include supply of foodgrains, social support items, school stationery, disaster relief materials and pesticides. The External Affairs Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to continuing such assistance. The Foreign Minister expressed appreciation to the Government of India for its comprehensive and generous humanitarian support, including in providing crucial material aid to address the urgent needs of forcibly repatriated refugees in Afghanistan,” it said. Saying that the plight of “forcibly repatriated Afghan refugees is a matter of deep concern”, Jaishankar said, “India agrees to help construct residences for them and continue providing material aid to rebuild their lives.” “Our two countries have a productive history of cooperating on water management and irrigation. We note the interest on the Afghan side in taking this further and are ready to collaborate on the sustainable management of its water resources,” he said. “Your invitation to Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan is also deeply appreciated. This can be discussed further,” he said. The Afghan side invited Indian companies to invest in the mining sector, which would help strengthen bilateral trade and commercial relations, the joint statement said. “We have a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce. I am glad to note the commencement of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi,” Jaishankar said. The statement said that both sides welcomed the commencement of the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor, which will further enhance direct trade and commerce. “In the field of capacity-building, India continues to offer scholarships to Afghan students under the e-ICCR scholarship scheme. Other avenues for Afghan students to pursue studies at Indian universities under the ICCR and other scholarship programmes are under active consideration,” the joint statement said. “Both sides discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in sports, especially cricket, to advance cultural interactions,” it said. Stating that “India has introduced a new visa module for Afghan people”, Jaishankar said, “as a result, we are now issuing greater number of visas, including in medical, business and student categories.” Muttaqi, in his remarks, appreciated India's assistance to Afghanistan and called for increased understanding. “India is a historic and important country of this region, It is a multicultural country, very hard-working population, and we have a long civilizational and people-to-people ties for centuries. And not just through geography but also through business, culture, sports, and other links. Since 1947, we have had official, bilateral, diplomatic relations and have had close policy positions on many issues. Now it is important that we increase our understanding and make use of our capacities and opportunities,” he said. “India has always stood by Afghanistan and has assisted in many areas. Over the past four years, and particularly the recent earthquake in Kunar, India was the first country to respond, and with humanitarian assistance,” he said. Appreciating India’s assistance in construction and maintenance of India-Afghanistan Friendship Dam (Salma Dam) in Herat, both sides also underscored the importance of sustainable water management and agreed to cooperate on hydroelectric projects with a view to addressing Afghanistan’s energy needs and support its agricultural development, the joint statement said.
