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This event is part of the series “The Neighbourhood Scope,” a monthly feature of the Strategic Studies Programme that intends to rekindle key conversations, questions, and debates concerning India’s neighbourhood.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will complete four years in power this year. Since their return to the helm in Kabul, the Taliban-led regime has been actively engaging with countries, both in the region and beyond. While no country has granted de jure recognition to the group, most of them have de facto engagement with the emirate, with talks and discussions on security, trade and connectivity. India has also increased its engagement with the emirate with India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar having a telephone conversation with the emirate’s interim foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, a few days after the conclusion of Operation Sindoor. In the days that followed, Muttaqi and his counterpart from Pakistan travelled to China for an informal foreign ministers’ meeting. Pakistan and Afghanistan subsequently decided to elevate their ties to the ambassadorial level.
Four years into power, how is the world responding to the Taliban? How are regional powers - including Central Asian Republics, Russia, Iran, and China interacting with Afghanistan? What do the recent improvement in ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan mean for the region and for India’s engagement with the Emirate? How is the Taliban leveraging its economy, geography , and security in its bilateral and regional engagements? Can the Taliban finally seek international recognition?
