Tijjani Usman MuhammadAfghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has arrived in New Delhi for a six-day official visit, marking the first-ever trip by a senior Taliban official to India since the group took power in 2021.
During his stay, Muttaqi will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and several Indian government officials to discuss bilateral relations, regional security, and counter-terrorism cooperation.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, India looks forward to “engaging discussions” with the Taliban delegation. Muttaqi was received at the airport by Anand Prakash, head of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at the ministry.
The Taliban minister’s schedule includes a meeting with Jaishankar at Hyderabad House on October 10, a visit to Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh on October 11, and a tour of the Taj Mahal the following day.
He will also speak at the Vivekananda International Foundation, meet with business leaders at a FICCI event, and interact with Afghan nationals living in India before returning to Kabul on October 15.
This visit is being closely watched as a major diplomatic milestone between India and the Taliban-led Afghanistan.
