Afghanistan's Taliban government wants to strengthen political economic relations with India

New Delhi: Afghanistan wants to strengthen political economic relations with India. Afghanistan has said that India is an important regional and economic power. The Taliban's comments came after talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki in Dubai on Wednesday.

Misri and Muttaki discussed a range of issues in the first public high-level meeting held between the two countries after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021. The Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Muttaki expressed his gratitude to India for the humanitarian assistance. Also said that as part of our balanced and economy-centric foreign policy, we want to strengthen political and economic relations with India.

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The ministry said that the Foreign Minister assured the Indian side that there is no threat to it from Afghanistan. He also expressed hope that India will get visa facilities for its businessmen, patients and students to boost diplomatic relations. Representatives of Afghanistan's commerce and transport ministries also participated in the meeting, the statement said. It said there were extensive discussions on measures to promote political, economic and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, at the meeting the Indian side said that New Delhi would consider engaging in development projects in Afghanistan and providing additional material assistance to the country in the health sector. The ministry on Wednesday said that in response to the request of the Afghan side, India will first provide additional material assistance in the health sector and rehabilitation of refugees.

The ministry said it was also agreed to promote the use of Chabahar port to support trade and commercial activities, including for the purpose of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. Afghanistan said the Indian side conveyed that it is keen to promote trade through the Chabahar port. The talks between Misri and Muttaki came two days after India 'unequivocally' condemned Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan that killed dozens.