EAM Jaishankar speaks to Taliban’s acting foreign minister, thanks him for support after Pahalgam

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday.

The conversation came days after the Taliban administration—though not officially recognised by India—strongly condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead.

Expressing “deep appreciation” for the condemnation, Jaishankar posted on X: “Welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.”

He further noted India’s “traditional friendship with the Afghan people” and reiterated support for Afghanistan’s development needs. The two leaders also discussed potential avenues for future cooperation.

The call marked the first political-level interaction between Indian and Afghan ministers since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in August 2021.

It comes amid a series of recent diplomatic engagements between Indian officials and the Taliban.

In January, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai. More recently, on April 27, senior Indian diplomat Anand Prakash was received by Muttaqi in Kabul, shortly after the Pahalgam terror attack and amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan.