New Delhi, Oct.09,2025:The Amir Khan Muttaqi India visit has captured global attention — not just for its rarity, but for its symbolism. This is the first visit by a Taliban minister to India since the group retook power in Afghanistan in 2021–
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s arrival in New Delhi signals a cautious but significant thaw in diplomatic engagement between India and Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration. While India has yet to officially recognize the Taliban government, the visit suggests quiet backchannel diplomacy is already underway.
At the same time, Pakistan’s reaction has been intense, revealing the complex geopolitical fault lines emerging across South Asia.
A Historic Moment After Taliban’s 2021 Takeover
After the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, most nations, including India, cut off direct ties, citing human rights violations, suppression of women’s education, and restrictions on freedom of speech.
However, the Amir Khan Muttaqi India visit marks a dramatic shift. It is not merely a diplomatic courtesy call — it is a strategic recalibration.
According to BBC News and Al Jazeera, Muttaqi’s trip was allowed after the UN Security Council Committee temporarily lifted his travel restrictions, signaling the international community’s openness to selective engagement with the Taliban leadership.
Pakistan’s Fiery Reaction to the Visit
In neighboring Pakistan, the Amir Khan Muttaqi India visit has stirred heated debates across media and political circles.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking on Samaa TV, called Afghanistan a “betraying neighbor” that “has never truly been Pakistan’s ally.”
He remarked-
“Afghanistan was the last country to recognize Pakistan. Even with shared religion and faith, it never treated us as a brotherly nation. Today, they stand closer to India than ever before.”
This statement reflects Pakistan’s deep frustration with Kabul’s growing proximity to New Delhi, particularly at a time when Pakistan itself faces rising terrorist attacks, political turmoil, and an ongoing refugee crisis linked to Afghan border tensions.
India’s Calculated Silence on Taliban Recognition
During a weekly press briefing last Friday, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal declined to answer a direct question about whether India would officially recognize the Taliban government.
This silence is telling. India is adopting what foreign policy analysts describe as a “watchful engagement strategy.”
Rather than granting formal recognition, India appears focused on protecting its developmental and security interests in Afghanistan, including its major projects like the Salma Dam and the Afghan Parliament building, which India funded before 2021.
Afghanistan Seeks Regional Balance
At a Moscow regional meeting just before his India visit, Amir Khan Muttaqi said:
“No terrorist organization operates on Afghan soil, nor does Afghanistan pose a threat to any neighboring country.”
Muttaqi emphasized that Afghanistan wants “balanced relations with all neighbors, including India.”
According to a report by The Express Tribune, Afghan officials believe that this visit demonstrates “Kabul’s intent to reestablish regional equilibrium” — a move away from its dependency on Pakistan and towards diversified diplomatic outreach.
Pakistan’s Internal Struggles and Security Warnings
Pakistan, meanwhile, is grappling with a surge in militant violence, much of it blamed on the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group Islamabad claims operates from Afghan territory.
In September 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a blunt warning to the Taliban:
“Afghanistan must choose between friendship with Pakistan or alliance with the TTP. There can be no middle ground.”
At the UN General Assembly, Pakistan’s envoy Aasim Iftikhar Ahmad accused Kabul of failing its international counter-terrorism commitments, calling Afghanistan “the single largest threat” to Pakistan’s national security.
Kabul has denied all accusations, terming them “baseless and politically motivated.”
What This Visit Really Means for South Asia
International experts see the Amir Khan Muttaqi India visit as part of a broader regional realignment.
Afghan foreign policy analyst Wahid Faqiri told TOLO News–
“Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan have grown tense. India sees an opportunity to engage Afghanistan diplomatically to secure its regional interests.”
Former Afghan diplomat Mohammad Azam Nooristani, now based in Germany, told Radio Liberty:
“India’s concern is clear — it wants to limit Pakistan’s influence and ensure Afghan soil isn’t used for anti-India activities.”
Afghanistan–India Relations- History, Hope, and Hesitation
Historically, India and Afghanistan have shared strong cultural and developmental ties. From Bollywood films to education programs, the connection has been long-standing.
Even during previous Taliban rule (1996–2001), India maintained informal contact through backchannels.
Now, the Amir Khan Muttaqi India visit could reopen those lines of communication. Yet, New Delhi remains cautious, balancing its humanitarian aid efforts with global concerns about women’s rights and extremism in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan–Pakistan Rift- Old Neighbors, New Fault Lines
The diplomatic gap between Afghanistan and Pakistan appears to be widening.
As Dawn News reported, Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of “collective punishment” over its mass deportation of Afghan refugees — many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades.
In contrast, Pakistan argues it has “borne Afghanistan’s burden for too long” and now demands “respect, reciprocity, and responsibility.”
Editorials in The Express Tribune and Dawn highlight that this rift could redefine regional security architecture — with India potentially emerging as a stabilizing partner in Kabul’s evolving foreign policy.
How the World Views the Taliban’s Diplomatic Moves
Global reactions to the Amir Khan Muttaqi India visit are mixed.
While the UN, US, and European Union continue to pressure the Taliban on women’s education and human rights, they also acknowledge that total isolation is no longer viable.
The temporary lifting of Muttaqi’s travel ban shows that the world is cautiously engaging the Taliban for pragmatic reasons — including counterterrorism cooperation, drug control, and humanitarian aid delivery.
For India, engagement doesn’t mean endorsement — it means strategic vigilance.
Realignment or Risk
Diplomatic observers believe this visit could lead to limited, issue-based cooperation between India and the Taliban government.
Analyst Ghaus Janbaz told TOLO News–
“India’s goal is to ensure that Afghan soil is not used against it. Direct dialogue helps minimize miscommunication and regional hostility.”
However, experts also warn that the Taliban’s failure to deliver on its international promises — especially regarding girls’ education and counterterrorism — could undermine any long-term partnership.
A Turning Point for South Asian Diplomacy
The Amir Khan Muttaqi India visit is more than a diplomatic event — it’s a geopolitical statement.
It underscores Afghanistan’s shifting alliances, Pakistan’s eroding influence, and India’s quiet resurgence as a stabilizing power in South Asia.
Whether this engagement leads to lasting cooperation or renewed mistrust will depend on how both countries balance principle with pragmatism.
