Brief by Shorts91 NewsDesk / 07:15am on 16 May 2025,Friday India Global
In a historic first, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a phone call with Taliban's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, marking India's initial ministerial-level engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban regime. The conversation followed the Taliban's condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 tourists were killed by Pakistan-linked terrorists. Jaishankar appreciated this stance and emphasized India's traditional friendship with the Afghan people and support for their development needs. He also welcomed Muttaqi's rejection of attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false reports. Discussions included increasing visas for Afghan nationals, bilateral trade, the release of Afghan prisoners in Indian jails, and development of Iran's Chabahar Port. (PC: The Caravan)
