Taliban’s foreign minister set for India trip after UNSC eases travel sanctions
India is set to host the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, next week after the UN Security Council’s sanctions committee approved a temporary exemption to his long-standing travel ban.
This will be the first visit to India by a senior official from the Taliban-led Afghan administration since it came to power in 2021, after 20 years of US military occupation.
It will also make India bump into a list of countries that have welcomed the Afghan Taliban representative, joining countries including China and Russia.
Muttaqi is among the Afghan Taliban members who are under UN sanctions, including an asset freeze and arms embargo since 2001.
The Taliban leader was due to make his first trip to India in August, but failed to secure a waiver on his existing travel ban by the UNSC last month.
However, the UN Security Council said its committee has issued a waiver that allows him to visit India between October 9 and October 16.
“On September 30, 2025, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) approved an exemption to the travel ban for Amir Khan Muttaqi to visit New Delhi, India, from October 9 to 16, 2025,” the statement read.
Spoke with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi today. Expressed our condolences at the loss of lives in the earthquake.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 1, 2025
Conveyed that India has delivered 1000 family tents today in Kabul. 15 tonnes of food material is also being immediately moved by Indian Mission… pic.twitter.com/whO2iTBjS8
Addressing the media, Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the engagement by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with Afghanistan’s ruling establishment, including diplomatic discussions and the support India provided following the earthquake that struck Afghanistan in August.
Prior to the Taliban’s rule over Afghanistan, New Delhi and Kabul enjoyed close ties. India closed its embassy in Kabul in 2021, but held talks with the head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha in the same year.
Experts say the visit to India holds significant importance for the Afghan Taliban administration in terms of gaining legitimacy and establishing diplomatic ties.
Indian and Afghan media have also reported that Muttaqi will travel to Russia before visiting India.
In July, Russia became the first nation to officially recognize the Taliban government, which has also slowly warmed up to China, Qatar, and the UAE.
In August, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Kabul to attend the sixth trilateral foreign ministers’ dialogue involving China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
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