KABUL: The Taliban’s foreign office said they saw India as a “significant regional and economic partner” after meeting with its most senior foreign ministry official, the highest level talks with Delhi since their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

India’s Foreign Secr­e­tary Vikram Misri met act­ing Taliban Foreign Min­ister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai on Wednesday.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that they had discussed expanding relations and to boost trade through Chabahar Port in Iran, which India has been developing for goods to bypass the ports of Karachi and Gwadar.

“In line with Afghan­i­stan’s balanced and economy-focused foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate aims to stren­gthen political and economic ties with India as a significant regi­onal and economic partner,” the statement from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said late on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2025