The United Nations Security Council Committee has temporarily lifted a travel ban on Afghanistan’s Taliban foreign minister, potentially allowing him to visit India between 9 and 16 October, India’s foreign ministry said on Friday.
If confirmed, the trip would mark the first visit to India by a senior Taliban official since the group seized power in 2021, ending two decades of U.S. military presence in the country.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban foreign minister, is among several Afghan leaders under U.N. sanctions, including a travel ban and asset freeze. Exemptions are occasionally granted for diplomatic purposes.
A spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry said New Delhi had maintained contacts with the Taliban administration and noted that India provided humanitarian support following an earthquake in Afghanistan on 31 August. The spokesperson did not, however, directly confirm the visit.
According to Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban’s foreign ministry, discussions during Muttaqi’s trip would focus on bilateral cooperation, trade in dry fruits, health sector support, consular services, and access to regional ports. He did not provide specific travel dates.
Indian and Afghan media reported that Muttaqi is expected to travel to Russia before arriving in New Delhi. In Moscow, he was reportedly scheduled to hold talks with representatives of Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Central Asian nations on Afghanistan’s political and security situation.
Hekmatullah Hekmat, an Afghan political analyst, described the prospective India visit as highly significant. “Afghanistan is in dire need of establishing relations with regional countries, especially its neighbours. It needs to build political, economic, and trade ties and to gain recognition,” he said.
So far, only Russia has formally recognised the Taliban administration. India closed its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban takeover in 2021, but reopened a technical mission in 2022 to oversee humanitarian assistance.
