Mr Muttaqi’s visit upends India’s oft-repeated assertion that any substantive engagement with Taliban was contingent upon the latter committing to governing inclusively, removing harsh restrictions imposed upon women, especially girls’ education and eschewing support to terror organisations that specifically target India

xThe visit of Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi on October 9-16 represents an interesting inflection point South Asian geopolitics. It was the first visit by a senior Taliban official to India post the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

This diplomatic engagement was noteworthy as it occurred in the same timeframe as India’s unique alignment with China and Russia at the 7th Moscow Format Consultations opposing US President Donald Trump’s demand for

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