Taliban officials have described India as a “key regional partner” following their recent discussions

The Taliban‘s foreign office has expressed its view of India as a “significant regional and economic partner” following discussions with a senior official from India’s foreign ministry, marking the highest-level talks with New Delhi since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

On Wednesday, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai. According to a statement from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, the two sides explored opportunities to enhance bilateral relations and increase trade through the Chabahar Port in Iran, a project India has been developing to facilitate trade routes that avoid the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan.

The statement from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, released late Wednesday, emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is committed to strengthening political and economic relations with India as part of its balanced, economy-oriented foreign policy. Following the meeting in Delhi, India’s foreign ministry indicated that it is contemplating involvement in development initiatives in Afghanistan and aims to enhance trade connections.

While no foreign government, including India, officially recognizes the Taliban regime, India maintains a small diplomatic presence in Kabul to support trade, humanitarian aid, and medical assistance, having provided humanitarian aid to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Additionally, regional powers such as China and Russia have indicated their readiness to increase trade and investment in Afghanistan. The discussions in Delhi may provoke concerns in Pakistan, which shares borders with both nations and has a history of conflict with India, having fought three wars in the past.

Pakistan and Afghanistan maintain a tense relationship, with Pakistan alleging that numerous militant attacks within its borders have originated from Afghan territory, a claim that the Afghan Taliban refutes. Earlier this week, India’s foreign office expressed condemnation regarding airstrikes carried out by Pakistan on Afghan soil late last year.