In a first, Indian official holds talks with Taliban defence minister

Why in news?

In a significant development in ties with Afghanistan, India on Wednesday held its first meeting with Taliban acting defence minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, who is also the son of Mullah Omar, the former supreme leader of the group and emir of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

Key points:

• India looks to step up engagement with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name under which the Taliban have ruled the country since taking over Kabul in 2021.

• “In this meeting, the two sides emphasised their common desire to expand bilateral relations, especially in the fields of humanitarian cooperation and other issues, and expressed their interest in strengthening further interactions between Afghanistan and India.

• The meeting is a sign that India is ready to ramp up not just its humanitarian assistance to the country, but also aid in the reconstruction efforts, even without officially recognising the regime in Kabul.

• Repeated assurances from the Taliban, including during the ongoing visit, that they won’t allow the use of Afghan territory against India seems to have convinced India that this might be the right time to deepen engagement with Kabul.