Afghan foreign minister Muttaqi set to visit India next week

Wait 5 sec.

By: PTINew Delhi | October 2, 2025 11:01 PM IST 2 min readAfghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was scheduled to visit New Delhi last month but it was called off in view of a travel ban that he faced under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions. (Source: X/ @FMMuttaqi)Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to visit India next week, in the first high-level trip from Kabul after the Taliban captured power following the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani government over four years ago.The Afghan foreign minister is expected to visit India from October 10, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. However, there is no official word on the visit yet.Muttaqi was scheduled to visit New Delhi last month but it was called off in view of a travel ban that he faced under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions.On September 30, a UNSC committee approved a temporary exemption to the travel ban, allowing Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from October 9 to 16, according to a UN statement.Afghan media reported that Muttaqi will travel to Moscow on October 6 to attend the seventh round of Moscow Format talks.The UNSC had slapped sanctions against all leading Taliban leaders and they have to secure a waiver for foreign travels.Muttaqi’s visit is expected to add a new dimension to India’s relations with the Taliban setup in Kabul.Story continues below this adExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had held a phone conversation with Muttaqi on May 15.It was the highest level of contact between New Delhi and Kabul since the Taliban came to power.India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul.New Delhi has also been insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.Story continues below this adIn January, the Taliban regime described India as an “important” regional and economic power following talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Muttaqi.India has so far sent several shipments of humanitarian aid, including wheat and medicines, to Afghanistan.India has been pitching to provide unimpeded aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian situation in the country.In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a “technical team” in its embassy in the Afghan capital.Story continues below this adIndia had withdrawn its officials from the embassy on concerns over security after the Taliban seized power in August 2021.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Afghanistan