The Afghan Foreign Ministry affiliated with the Taliban movement said that it considers New Delhi an important regional and economic partner, after a meeting with the Indian Foreign Minister in the highest level of talks between the two parties since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.
Indian Foreign Minister Vikram Misri met with Acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mottaki in Dubai on Wednesday.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement that they discussed consolidating relations and enhancing trade through the Chabahar port in Iran, which India is developing to transport goods without using the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in competing Pakistan.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry added that the Islamic Emirate “aims to strengthen political and economic relations with India as an important regional and economic partner, in accordance with the balanced Afghan foreign policy that focuses on the economy.”
For its part, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said after the Dubai meeting that India is considering participating in development projects in Afghanistan and is looking forward to strengthening trade relations.
No country, including India, officially recognizes the Taliban administration.
Regional parties, including China and Russia, have indicated their willingness to boost trade and investment in Afghanistan.
The meeting may anger Pakistan, which borders the two countries and has fought three wars in the past against India.
