The Taliban regime in Afghanistan announced on Thursday that it has requested an upgrade in diplomatic relations with India, a day after foreign secretary Vikram Misri met acting Afghan foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai.
The Taliban also claimed that both sides had agreed to facilitate trade and visa processes.
In its readout of the meeting on Wednesday, the Afghan ministry of foreign affairs stated that Muttaqi expressed hope to raise the level of diplomatic ties and ease the visa regime for Afghan businessmen, students and patients.
The Afghan readout further suggested that both parties had agreed to explore ways to facilitate trade and visa processes.
However, there was no mention of visas in the Indian readout issued on Wednesday. When asked about Afghanistan’s reference to facilitating visas, the Indian ministry of external affairs iterated its statement from the previous day.
Afghan citizens, particularly students enrolled in Indian universities and individuals seeking medical treatment, have long urged India to restore the visa process.
According to Kabul, Muttaqi expressed gratitude for India’s humanitarian assistance and “underlined a desire of strengthening political and economic relations with India as a key regional and economic player, in line with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s balanced and economy-centric foreign policy”.
The Afghan readout also said Muttaqi assured the Indian delegation that “Afghanistan does not pose a threat to any nation”.
This was broadly acknowledged in the Indian readout which said the “Afghan side underlined its sensitivities to India’s security concerns”.
There also appears to be a broad understanding of promoting trade through the Chabahar Port in Iran as both readouts mention it.
Wednesday’s meeting in Dubai was the highest level of diplomatic engagement between India and the Taliban regime since it recaptured Kabul in August 2021.
India withdrew its diplomats from Afghanistan in August 2021 and has not resumed diplomatic relations since.
A technical staffer was sent to guard the Indian high commission and oversee Indian projects in the country in June 2022. Like several other nations, India has not recognised the Taliban either.