Pakistan's relations with the Afghan Taliban are currently at a very low ebb. Meanwhile, Taliban minister Amir Muttaqi is currently visiting Delhi. Muttaqi has been well received in India.

Kabul: Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, is currently visiting India. Muttaqi's visit to Delhi and the welcome he received have drawn global attention. India's move to invite Muttaqi is being seen as an attempt to contain Pakistan in the region. Meanwhile, the Taliban's inclination towards India is being attributed to its conflict with Pakistan. Tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have been high for some time. However, the US also plays a significant role in this. The US's stance has helped bring the Taliban closer to India.

According to the Asia Times, during Amir Muttaqi's visit to Delhi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced the conversion of India's technical mission in Afghanistan into a full-fledged embassy. This has surprised many observers, who are surprised by Muttaqi's visit to Delhi and the formal resumption of bilateral relations. This surprise stems from the contrasting perspectives: the Taliban's radical Islamic regime and India's democratic system.

Pakistan's role

Experts say that it is largely true that Pakistan played a role in bringing the Taliban closer to India. The India-Pakistan rivalry is well known. In such a situation, deteriorating relations with Pakistan pushed them towards India. After the fall of Imran Khan's government, the Taliban fears a US-Pakistani conspiracy against them. There is also a dispute between the Taliban and Pakistan over the Durand Line (border).

India and Afghanistan's territorial disputes with Pakistan played a major role in the Kabul-Delhi rapprochement. This relationship was further strengthened by US President Donald Trump's call for the withdrawal of US troops from Bagram Air Base. The Taliban, aware that a withdrawal from Bagram would inevitably require Pakistani cooperation, placed a strong emphasis on rapidly improving relations with India.

China also has its eye on

Donald Trump clearly wants the withdrawal of US troops from Bagram Air Base. This can only be possible with Pakistan's support. This is clearly an attempt by the US to weaken China. In this context, China, along with India, could initiate coordinated support for Afghanistan. This is intended to balance the revived US-Pakistan regional duopoly and reshape regional geopolitics.

 PC:NBT