India Maintains People-Centric Afghanistan Policy, Jaishankar Says

India’s foreign minister says New Delhi has maintained its people-centric policy toward Afghanistan, prioritising humanitarian aid, development cooperation, and sustained engagement with Afghanistan society.

India’s foreign minister says New Delhi and Afghanistan share centuries-old historical ties that have endured despite changing governments, underscoring continuity in people-to-people relations. He said India’s current Afghanistan policy is firmly rooted in a people-centric and community-focused approach.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar made the remarks during an interaction with university students in India, responding to a question from an Afghan student. He described his recent meeting with Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as positive, highlighting cooperation in development projects, food assistance and health services.

India has recalibrated its engagement with Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, avoiding formal recognition while maintaining channels focused on humanitarian aid. New Delhi has repeatedly stressed that its engagement is aimed at supporting ordinary Afghans rather than endorsing any particular political authority.

Amir Khan Muttaqi visited New Delhi from October 9 to 16, marking the first visit by a senior Taliban official to India since the group seized power. The trip was made possible after the United Nations Security Council granted him a temporary sanctions exemption to allow travel.

During the same period, Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and several Afghanistan border provinces, developments that coincided with a noticeable expansion of contacts between India and the Taliban authorities.

Following Muttaqi’s visit, the Taliban’s ministers of commerce and public health also travelled to India. Indian officials pledged increased cooperation, particularly in the supply of medicines, after disruptions caused by the suspension of pharmaceutical imports from Pakistan.

Indian officials continue to frame their Afghanistan engagement as pragmatic and humanitarian, focused on stability, health and basic needs. This approach allows New Delhi to safeguard long-term interests while avoiding formal diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government.

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