Taliban wants India to recognise Islamic Emirate ahead of Delhi meeting

New Delhi: The Taliban are seeking to upgrade relations with India. The rulers of Afghanistan want India to give them diplomatic recognition. As Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi visits New Delhi on a 6-day trip, a top Taliban leader was quoted as saying that India grants diplomatic recognition to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

Meanwhile, the visit by Muttaqi is expected to boost economic ties between the 2 countries and also boost people-to-people contact. This it is hoped would happen even without a diplomatic recognition of the country.

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The Taliban’s political office and Afghanistan’s ambassador to Qatar, Suhail Shaheen said that this was the first high-level visit by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister to India and was very significant. He hoped that this visit would initiate a new phase of relations between the 2 countries. He added that there are several areas where India and Afghanistan can explore mutual cooperation.

According to a Times of India report, Shaheen said, "I think it is time for the leadership of both countries to raise the diplomatic level by granting recognition to the IEA government and thus paving the way for bilateral cooperation and expansion of relations in various fields."

Earlier the United Nations lifted a travel ban on Muttaqi to allow him to travel to India. As the Taliban urged India to expand its economic footprint in Afghanistan, it is clear that India also was keen to host the leader.

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This visit by the Foreign Minister of the country, will also help India to capitalise on the dramatic deterioration of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of funding and arming the Pakistan Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

However recognition of the Taliban remains a tricky issue for India. The country does not want to be seen as deviating the line taken by other countries of the world. Sources said that the Taliban Foreign Minister's visit to India is likely to enhance bilateral relations and increase diplomatic engagement.