Daily Briefing: India recalibrates ties with Taliban-ruled Kabul

With that, here’s the top five stories from today’s edition:

🚨 Big Story

‘Close friend’: India took its first big step toward normalising ties with the Taliban, announcing that its “technical mission” in Kabul will be upgraded to a full embassy. The move came after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, — the first such visit by a Taliban foreign minister to India. Jaishankar called the meeting an “important step” and thanked Kabul for its “sensitivity” to India’s security concerns. Muttaqi said Afghanistan sees India as a “close friend,” underlining that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is ready to create a mechanism for understanding between two countries.

Standing their ground: Minutes before the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan entered the Afghan embassy in Delhi, an Afghan staffer stormed out, refusing to let the Taliban flag be hoisted. Amid the face-off with visiting Taliban members, the Afghans stationed in Delhi stood their ground, not allowing them to hoist the flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Eventually, they placed a small Taliban flag on the table during Muttaqi’s press conference  where no women journalists were allowed.

Right approach?: India’s Afghanistan approaches have to be framed within a changing environment in its western neighbourhood, writes Vivek Katju, a former diplomat. “India does not want to give a signal that it is diplomatically recognising the Taliban till there is a consensus in the international community to do so. This is the correct approach,” he adds.

⚡ Only in Express

No escape: In the middle of the night, Gujarat police set off on a hot pursuit: 25 nautical miles into the Arabian Sea to catch three men accused of gangrape. The chase began after the trio allegedly assaulted a 50-year-old woman in Gir Somnath on Oct 1. Learning the suspects were working on fishing trawlers, police devised a clever ruse; citing bad weather from Cyclone Shakthi, they instructed nearby trawlers to return to shore, and then intercepted the vessels mid-sea. “They were taken into the police boat while still in the waters. This was to ensure that they had no chance to escape,” said the police. The accused are now in police custody.

💡 Express Explained

Loudest promise: In just over a month, Bihar heads to the polls and this time, the stakes stretch beyond the next five years. After nearly two decades of Nitish Kumar at the helm, the Nov 14 verdict could decide how the state grows. Bihar’s biggest challenge remains unchanged: jobs. Over 3.16 crore residents are registered on the Centre’s e-Shram portal – the second-highest in India – yet the state’s labour force participation is among the lowest. Unemployment may look modest at 5.2%, but that’s because less than half the working-age population is looking for work. Unsurprisingly, employment has become this campaign’s loudest promise. We explain.

✍️ Express Opinion

Following his recent Arunachal visit, the Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia called the Northeast “a garland of pearls, strung together by countless communities, cultures, and ways of life, woven seamlessly into the eternal rhythm of nature.” Women-led enterprises, supported by schemes such as PM Mudra Yojana and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, are thriving, he noted, with Tage Rita Takhe’s kiwi winery – now recognised at the UN – standing out as a success story. What does Scindia have to say on the state’s blend of sustainability, empowered communities, and cultural pride? Find out.

🎬 Web Series Review

The plot thickens: Sankyukta Das’s last day at her police station kicks off a tense six-episode crime drama titled ‘Search The Naina Murder Case’. Shubhra Gupta, in her review, writes the whodunit “balances domestic pressures with professional demands” as Sankyukta investigates a dead girl found in a politician’s campaign car while clashing with a smug newcomer. The mystery deepens with Naina’s friends, ex, politicians and professors under scrutiny. Directed by Rohan Sippy, the show is a well-produced adaptation of the Danish series ‘The Killing’, shares Gupta adding that it’s a pleasure to watch Konkona Sen Sharma fronting a show like this. 

 That’s all for today, happy weekend!

Malavika Jayadeep