Taliban Health Minister Noor Jalal Jalali on Tuesday (December 16) arrived in New Delhi seeking to boost cooperation with India in the field of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. He is the third Taliban Minister to visit India in three months, the two others being Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Industry and Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi, who visited India respectively in October and November.
‘Support to Afghanistan’s healthcare system’
The Ministry of External Affairs in a post on X stated that Jalali’s visit reflects India’s steady support for Afghanistan’s healthcare system.
“A warm welcome to the Afghan Minister of Public Health, H.E. Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, on his first official visit to India. The visit reflects India’s enduring support for Afghanistan’s healthcare system, and we look forward to productive discussions,” stated MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
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The Taliban Health Minister will hold talks with his Indian counterpart and representatives of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors to strengthen and revive cooperation, reported the Hindustan Timesquoting sources.
“The discussions with the Taliban minister will focus on strengthening cooperation in health and reviving the old connections that existed between the two sides under the previous government in Kabul,” stated the source as quoted in the report.
‘Kabul technical mission gets embassy status’
After Muttaqi’s visit, India upgraded its technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy and also agreed to permit the Taliban to post a limited number of its diplomats at the mission in New Delhi.
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A delegation headed by Azizi had earlier visited the India International Trade Fair (IITF) as part of efforts to deepen bilateral trade and investment engagement. During the visit, Azizi also held interactions with Afghan traders based in India to discuss issues related to market access and business expansion.
The visits by Taliban officials to India have taken place amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including border closures imposed by Islamabad that have disrupted exports. These developments have led the Taliban to explore stronger cooperation with India in key areas such as trade and healthcare, reported the Hindustan Times.
The backdrop
Before the fall of the Ashraf Ghani government in August 2021, India issued thousands of visas annually to Afghan nationals seeking medical treatment, with many travelling to New Delhi and other cities in northern India.
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The Taliban administration is also seeking Indian investment in sectors such as mining, hydroelectric power and healthcare, and is keen for India to resume development projects in areas including health and power generation, the people said.
India has previously supported major hospitals in Kabul with equipment and medical supplies and helped establish healthcare centres across Afghanistan.
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