India holds key meet with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Muttaqi in Kabul

India’s top delegation held a meeting with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday in Kabul as the latter is likely to restart its stalled projects and also resume issuance of visas to Afghans.

The Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary Anand Prakash, who is the head of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA’s) PAI (Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran) division, held a meeting with Muttaqi and his team in the country’s capital.

India has recently restarted its engagements with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a high-level meeting with Muttaqi in January this year, marking the first formal interaction with Taliban since the regime’s takeover of the country in August 2021.

“Anand Prakash said his country values its relations with Afghanistan and hopes to further expand ties in various areas. He mentioned that India will continue its cooperation with Afghanistan and wishes to invest in some infrastructure projects, as well as resume work on some projects that have been stalled for some time,” mentioned the readout issued by Afghanistan after the meeting.

During this meeting, both the groups discussed bilateral political relations between the two countries, along with trade, transit, and recent regional political developments, it said.

Afghanistan FM Muttaqi emphasised on the expansion of diplomatic and economic relations between Afghanistan and India and stated that there are currently good opportunities for investment in Afghanistan,” it said. “He encouraged Indian investors to take advantage of these opportunities and invest in Afghanistan,” the Afghan statement said.

Muttaqi also said that there should be facilitation in the movement of people between Afghanistan and India, and that the issuance of visas, especially for businessmen, patients, and students, should return to normal, the statement added.

“In conclusion, both sides emphasised expanding relations, facilitating the exchange of delegation, easing visa issuance, and strengthening bilateral cooperation,” it mentioned.

India