As Kabul reaches out and Delhi responds, India offers Afghanistan not dominance, but partnership — anchored in trust and shared sovereignty.
Diplomacy Rekindled: A New Dawn in Delhi’s Dialogue with Kabul
When Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on October 9, 2025, it was more than a ceremonial visit — it marked the first high-level engagement between the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate and India since 2021. For both countries, it was a cautious yet decisive moment of re-engagement, signalling that dialogue, not distance, will define the next phase of their relationship.
On October 10, Muttaqi held wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House, followed by expected security discussions with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The outcome — reflected in the official India–Afghanistan Joint Statement¹ — was striking: India announced it would upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy; both sides reaffirmed counter-terrorism cooperation, and development and trade were placed at the centre of a revived partnership.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai observed that India’s decision to reopen its embassy “reflects a statesmanlike vision — recognising that Afghanistan’s stability is the stability of the entire region.”²
In a telephonic conversation with the author, Dr. Abdul Khaliq Ferdaus, Academic Secretary of the Law and Political Science Institute at the Afghanistan Academy of Sciences, remarked that “India’s renewed diplomacy reaffirms Afghanistan’s sovereignty within the framework of law and partnership, not pressure.”³
The visit symbolised a historic ice-break — a move from estrangement to constructive engagement, balancing India’s principled realism with Afghanistan’s search for regional legitimacy.
Reconstructing Trust, Reclaiming Legacy: India’s Civilisational Diplomacy in Action
India’s role in Afghanistan has never been transactional; it is civilisational and developmental. Over the past two decades, New Delhi has invested over US $3 billion across 500 projects — from the Afghan Parliament Building and the Salma (India–Afghanistan Friendship) Dam to schools, roads, and hospitals⁴. These initiatives form the moral and infrastructural bedrock of India’s goodwill in Afghan society.
Among Afghanistan’s academic community, Dr. Faiz Mohammad Zaland of Kabul University remarked that “India’s developmental diplomacy carries moral depth and visible impact. Afghans trust India because its contributions are tangible — from the Parliament Building to our hospitals and classrooms — shaping everyday life with dignity.”⁵ His statement reflects the deep societal memory of India’s developmental commitment — visible, practical, and people-oriented — that has survived through decades of political turbulence.
The Joint Statement reaffirmed India’s intent to resume halted development projects, enhance humanitarian assistance, and expand education and health initiatives¹. Muttaqi himself acknowledged India’s enduring contribution, stating that Afghanistan views India “as a close friend in rebuilding our nation.”⁶
Following his official meetings, Muttaqi’s planned visits to Deoband and the Taj Mahal (October 11–12) underscored a subtle yet profound message: a gesture of cultural diplomacy reaffirming Afghanistan’s civilisational affinity with India⁷ — a bridge built on shared spiritual and intellectual traditions.
Security, Sovereignty, and the Grammar of Strategic Trust
Security formed the cornerstone of this revived dialogue. The Joint Statement reaffirmed that “the territory of Afghanistan shall not be used against any other country” and emphasised cooperation against terrorism, narcotics, and organised crime¹. Muttaqi reiterated during his press conference that “Afghan soil will not be used against others,”⁸ a phrase widely interpreted as reassurance to India.
He also condemned Pakistan’s recent airstrikes on Afghan border provinces, calling them a “big mistake”⁹ — a statement made on Indian soil that carried symbolic and strategic weight across the region.
In a telephonic interaction, Dr. Emran Zekerya, Head of the Department of Russia and Caucasus Studies at the Institute of International Relations, observed that “Afghanistan’s clarity on sovereignty and its rejection of foreign military enclaves reflect a regional consensus that India’s quiet diplomacy helped consolidate.”¹⁰
These developments underline a strategic convergence: India seeks stability and security for its projects, while the Taliban seeks legitimacy through credible regional partnerships. Trust, however, must be institutionalised — through sustained liaison mechanisms, intelligence coordination, and cooperative monitoring that transcend rhetoric.
Coercion and Collapse: Pakistan’s Moral Erosion and Afghan Humanitarian Tragedy
Muttaqi’s visit to Delhi occurred against a backdrop of deepening hostility between Kabul and Islamabad. Pakistan’s cross-border air raids and its mass expulsion of over one million Afghan refugees have pushed bilateral relations to the brink of rupture⁹.
In Delhi, Muttaqi’s forthright condemnation of Pakistan’s “interference and coercive behaviour” signalled a decisive rhetorical break from its long-standing tutelage — a relationship historically marked by manipulation and asymmetry.
What Pakistan executed under the pretext of internal security was not policy — it was a humanitarian outrage. The forcible eviction of destitute Afghan families, many born on Pakistani soil, constitutes an unconscionable act of state cruelty and a flagrant violation of international refugee law. By uprooting more than a million people without due process, Islamabad has committed what can only be described as a crime against humanity.
In a telephonic discussion with the author, Dr. Masom Jan Masomi, Academic Secretary at the Regional Studies Centre of Afghanistan, characterised Pakistan’s mass deportations as “a coercive failure of diplomacy and a moral defeat in regional politics.” He added that “in contrast, India’s assistance carries empathy and foresight, reflecting its role as a stabilising power grounded in ethics rather than expediency.”¹¹
India’s humanitarian response has reflected ethical leadership. Through UN agencies and civil-society partners, New Delhi extended food, medical aid, and temporary shelter to displaced Afghans¹² — reaffirming its identity as a compassionate and stabilising neighbour. This ethical stance, grounded in humanitarian responsibility rather than political calculation, has expanded India’s diplomatic space to play a constructive regional role — blending moral conviction with pragmatic foresight.
Commerce as Convergence: Mining Prosperity through Partnership and Connectivity
Beneath the political theatre lies a robust economic calculus. Bilateral trade between India and Afghanistan surpassed US $1 billion in FY 2024–25¹³, driven by agricultural exports, air corridors, and cargo routes bypassing Pakistan. Muttaqi invited Indian investment in Afghanistan’s US $3 trillion mineral reserves, including lithium, copper, and rare earths vital for the global clean-energy transition.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nooruddin Azizi, praised India’s renewed trade dialogue, noting that “Indian markets and technology can revive Afghan agriculture and mining, creating livelihoods for thousands of families. India’s economic diplomacy creates hope, not dependency, and brings dignity to our partnerships.”¹²
Connectivity through Iran’s Chabahar Port and the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) remains central to both nations’ strategic agendas — granting landlocked Afghanistan access to global markets while giving India a vital overland gateway to Central Asia.
India’s transparent developmental model offers Kabul a framework for responsible resource utilisation, transforming Afghanistan from a corridor of conflict into a corridor of commerce and cooperation.
The Global Chessboard: Power, Principle, and India’s Singular Vision
Afghanistan remains a strategic crossroads and a contested chessboard for competing powers. China eyes its mineral wealth; Russia seeks renewed influence through the Moscow Format; while the United States, under President Donald Trump’s renewed administration, continues sanction-driven containment policies. The power game resurfaced dramatically in September 2025, when President Trump proposed to regain control of the Bagram Air Base under the pretext of counter-terrorism — a move that drew unified opposition from India, Russia, and China, who condemned it as “foreign occupation by any pretext.”¹⁴
Kabul’s outright rejection of the proposal underscored a new Afghan confidence and the region’s collective fatigue with militarisation disguised as security cooperation.
In this turbulent arena, India stands distinct — guided by strategic autonomy and civilisational diplomacy. New Delhi engages the Taliban without endorsing its ideology, fosters peace without external alignment, and puts the Afghan people — not power politics — at the heart of its vision. By combining developmental pragmatism with diplomatic dignity, India offers Afghanistan not mere assistance but agency — a partnership based on equality, empathy, and enduring trust.
Conclusion: Beyond Estrangement — Towards a Shared Horizon of Possibility
Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit may not have resolved every divergence, but it succeeded in redrawing the map of possibility. It transformed a silent standoff into a structured dialogue — reintroducing Afghanistan into the regional fold and reaffirming India’s role as a constructive anchor of stability.
For Afghanistan, it was an assertion of sovereignty and partnership, not dependence. For India, it reaffirmed that engagement rooted in development and dignity yields more durable peace than isolation or intrusion.
In the heart of Asia — where empires once contended and ideologies collided — India and Afghanistan now stand poised to script a more inclusive narrative: one of reconstruction, reconciliation, and shared renewal. If sustained with empathy and strategic foresight, this new horizon of possibility could well evolve into the architecture of enduring peace and partnership for the region.
References
- Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. India–Afghanistan Joint Statement. October 10, 2025.
- Times of India. “India Elevates Ties with Taliban, Both Slam Terrorism from Regional Countries.” October 10, 2025.
- Ferdaus, Abdul Khaliq. Telephonic interview with the author, October 2025.
- Hindustan Times. “Afghanistan Looks at India as a Close Friend, Says Muttaqi.” October 10, 2025.
- Zaland, Faiz Mohammad. Online correspondence with the author, October 2025.
- Economic Times. “Afghanistan Looks at India as a Close Friend.” October 10, 2025.
- The Hindu. “Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi to Visit Deoband, Taj Mahal from October 11–12.” October 11, 2025.
- The Hindu. “Taliban Will Not Allow Terrorists to Use Afghan Territory, Says Muttaqi.” October 10, 2025.
- Arab News. “Afghanistan’s Taliban Government Accuses Pakistan of Air Attacks.” October 10, 2025.
- Zekerya, Emran. Telephonic interview with the author, October 2025.
- Masomi, Masom Jan. Telephonic discussion with the author, October 2025.
- “India to Reopen Its Embassy in Kabul, Says Jaishankar.” October 10, 2025.
- The Federal. “Jaishankar Meets Taliban FM Muttaqi in Delhi: Top Takeaways.” October 10, 2025.
- Times of India. “Trump Unites India, Russia, China in Moscow Format; Slams U.S. Bagram Plan.” October 9, 2025.
Author’s Note and Acknowledgment
The author gratefully acknowledges the valuable insights shared by eminent Afghan scholars, ministers, and strategic experts, whose perspectives — collected through telephonic conversations and correspondence — have substantially enriched the analytical depth and authenticity of this article. All interactions were conducted in adherence to ethical research practices, ensuring respect for participants’ views, privacy, and contextual integrity.
Dr. Maheep is an eminent scholar of India’s foreign policy and an expert in International Relations and Global Politics. He also conducts online classes for Afghan students enrolled in the M.A. Programme in Peace Studies under the Government of India’s e-Vidya Bharati initiative, fostering academic engagement and intercultural understanding across South Asia.