India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri recently met the Acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban government Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai — the highest-level meeting New Delhi has engaged in with the Taliban since its takeover of Kabul. India has refrained from officially recognizing the Taliban government, however, the recent meeting suggests a tacit acknowledgment of the Taliban’s de facto authority and has been interpreted as a step toward pragmatic engagement. In the last couple of years, more countries have intensified their efforts to build a functional level of engagement with the Taliban for different reasons ranging from aid and assistance to security and economic considerations.
India withdrew its diplomats from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021; however, New Delhi later reestablished its presence in Kabul with a “technical team” in 2022. Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, India canceled all visas for Afghan nationals, including student visas. Trade between India and Afghanistan grew until the Taliban takeover and since then, the level of trade and investment has significantly declined. India has invested nearly $ 3 billion over the years in Afghanistan and the new efforts to engage with the Taliban are primarily motivated by New Delhi’s need to protect its economic interests and ensure its security needs are considered. In addition, strategic imperatives and regional dynamics are also important factors in New Delhi’s evolving approach toward the Taliban.
On the economic front, India’s connectivity aspirations to Central Asia remain one of the most important factors behind the engagement with the Taliban. In recent years India has focused on leveraging and expanding the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) aiming to establish an efficient trade and transit network connecting India to Central Asia. In addition, India is enhancing its investments in Iran’s Chabahar Port to create a direct link to Afghanistan and further to Central Asia, thereby strengthening its strategic and economic footprint in the region. Last year India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), in collaboration with India Ports Global Ltd, hosted a workshop on linking Chabahar Port with the INSTC.
With regard to security, the Taliban has acknowledged India’s concerns, especially regarding Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Afghanistan, in addition, terror groups like al-Qaeda, ISIS and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) pose a threat to regional stability. Taliban officials have repeatedly reiterated that Afghan territory will not be used by anti-India elements. New Delhi is deeply concerned about the proliferation of extremist groups in Afghanistan and the limitations and challenges faced by the Taliban government to clamp down on them.
Strategically, Pakistan’s role is an important factor influencing India’s strategy toward the Taliban. Pakistan’s calculation that the Taliban’s return to power would serve its interests and stabilize the western border has proven wrong as the TTP has escalated cross-border attacks in the last couple of years. In December 2024, tensions further escalated and Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan targeting alleged TTP hideouts that killed 46 civilians as per Taliban claims. In retaliation, Afghan forces struck multiple points along the Durand Line, intensifying tensions. India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement condemning Pakistan’s strikes in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s measures, including targeted airstrikes, border closure and trade restrictions, yielded limited results and increased the Taliban’s resentment. The current tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have given some leverage for India to reestablish its influence in the country.
The broader regional context, including China’s expanding footprint in the region, has pushed Indian policymakers to consider rapprochement and a more pragmatic path with the Taliban. China has expanded its presence in Afghanistan by investing in the minerals sector, reflecting long-term plans to exploit the country’s resources. However, from an Indian perspective, prevailing security challenges in Afghanistan impose significant constraints on China’s elaborate economic and infrastructure development plans.
Overall, India faces a dilemma given the stark contrast between its foreign policy values and the Taliban’s ideology and worldview. Despite this, New Delhi’s recent actions suggest a pragmatic shift, prioritizing realpolitik considerations over ideological differences to safeguard its long-term interests. As the Taliban leadership is eager for international acceptance, such diplomatic engagements represent a significant victory for the group and reflect its growing flexibility and pragmatism in international relations.
