Key Highlights
- Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s historic India visit marked first Taliban diplomatic engagement since 2021 takeover
- Women journalists barred from initial press conference causing widespread outrage from opposition leaders and media organizations
- India upgraded its Kabul technical mission to full embassy status, signaling major diplomatic reset with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan
Opening Overview
The unprecedented visit by Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India has generated significant controversy after women journalists were denied access to a press conference at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi. The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit, which began on October 9, 2025, represents the first high-level Taliban diplomatic engagement with India since the group regained power in August 2021.
This Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit has sparked intense debate about women’s rights and diplomatic protocols, overshadowing the substantial diplomatic achievements including India’s decision to upgrade its Kabul mission to full embassy status. The Taliban’s systematic exclusion of women from public life, which has intensified since their return to power, became a focal point of criticism during this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit.
#Photos
— Fazilat Sbr (@sddqsbr) October 12, 2025
India forced Taliban FM Amir Khan Muttaqi to hold another press conference this time with women journalists present.
Earlier, no female reporters were allowed, sparking backlash.
India’s message was clear: excluding women is unacceptable.#Afghanistan #Taliban #India pic.twitter.com/jHbDTuH2TP
Diplomatic Breakthrough Amid Human Rights Concerns
The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit achieved significant diplomatic milestones despite the controversy surrounding women’s exclusion from media events. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced during meetings with Muttaqi that India would upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to full embassy status, marking a major diplomatic reset. This Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit saw both nations commit to combating terrorism, with Afghanistan assuring India that its territory would not be used against any other country.
- India closed its Kabul embassy in August 2021 following the Taliban takeover, maintaining only a technical team since June 2022
- The upgrade to full embassy status represents India’s most significant diplomatic engagement with the Taliban since 2021
- Both countries agreed to launch the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor to enhance bilateral trade
The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit included discussions on development cooperation projects worth millions of dollars, including healthcare infrastructure, educational scholarships, and humanitarian assistance. India committed to constructing multiple medical facilities including a 30-bed hospital in Kabul’s Bagrami district, an Oncology Centre, and five Maternity Health Clinics across three provinces. As a goodwill gesture during this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit, India gifted twenty ambulances to Afghanistan and pledged continued medical assistance to Afghan nationals.
The Taliban government’s assurance that Afghanistan would not harbor terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed represented a significant security commitment during the Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit. Muttaqi explicitly stated that “not a single one of them is in Afghanistan” and urged Pakistan to take similar action against such terror groups. This Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit occurred amid deteriorating Pakistan-Taliban relations, providing India an opportunity to strengthen ties with Kabul.
Press Conference Controversy and Gender Discrimination
The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit was marred by a significant controversy when women journalists were barred from attending Muttaqi’s press conference at the Afghan embassy on October 11, 2025. Security personnel at the embassy refused entry to female reporters despite their compliance with dress codes, drawing sharp criticism from opposition leaders and media organizations. The exclusion during this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit highlighted the Taliban’s systematic discrimination against women that has intensified since their return to power.
- The Editors Guild of India condemned the “blatant gender discrimination on Indian soil” during the Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit
- Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi questioned Prime Minister Modi’s silence on women’s rights violations
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs clarified it had “no involvement” in organizing the controversial press conference
A Taliban official later admitted to the BBC that women’s exclusion resulted from a “lack of coordination” and promised they would be invited “next time”. Following widespread outrage over the Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit controversy, Muttaqi held a second press conference on October 13, 2025, where women journalists were permitted to attend. During this session, Muttaqi claimed the earlier exclusion was due to “short notice” and was not a “deliberate exclusion”.
The Taliban’s restrictions on women have reached unprecedented levels since their return to power, with UN reports indicating that women face “near total social, economic and political exclusion”. According to UN Women, approximately 2.2 million girls remain banned from school education, while women are prohibited from working in most sectors except primary education and healthcare. The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit brought these human rights violations to the forefront of international attention, with journalists questioning Muttaqi about the systematic oppression of Afghan women.
Strategic Implications and Regional Dynamics
The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit reflects broader regional geopolitical shifts, particularly the deteriorating relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban government. India’s decision to engage diplomatically with the Taliban during this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit comes amid Pakistan’s military strikes against Afghan territory, creating an opportunity for New Delhi to balance Islamabad’s traditional influence in Afghanistan. The timing of this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit coincides with Pakistan summoning the Afghan envoy to protest Afghanistan’s condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians in April 2025.
- Pakistan-Taliban relations have deteriorated following Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika province, condemned by Muttaqi during his India visit
- The Taliban’s outreach to India represents an effort to diversify diplomatic relations and reduce dependence on Pakistan
- India hosts approximately 16,000 documented Afghan refugees and 18,000 undocumented refugees according to UN figures
During the Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit, both nations agreed to coordinate efforts against cross-border terrorism, addressing India’s longstanding security concerns. The Taliban’s commitment that Afghanistan would not allow any group to use its territory against India represents a significant shift from historical patterns when Pakistan-based terror groups operated from Afghan soil. This Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit saw Afghanistan invite Indian companies to explore mining opportunities, potentially worth billions of dollars in a country rich in lithium, copper, and rare earth minerals.
The economic dimension of the Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit includes the launch of the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor, designed to bypass Pakistan and establish direct trade links. Afghanistan’s economy has contracted by approximately 20% since the Taliban takeover, making foreign investment and trade partnerships crucial for economic recovery. The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit resulted in commitments for continued humanitarian assistance, including food grains, disaster relief materials, and medical supplies.
Future Prospects and Diplomatic Normalization
The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit represents a pragmatic approach to regional diplomacy, with both countries prioritizing economic cooperation and security concerns over ideological differences. While India has not formally recognized the Taliban government, the upgrade to full embassy status during this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit suggests a de facto acceptance of the current Afghan administration. The visit demonstrates India’s willingness to engage with the Taliban despite international isolation and human rights concerns.
- India operates 214 diplomatic missions worldwide, making the Afghanistan embassy upgrade significant for regional presence
- The Taliban government seeks international legitimacy through diplomatic engagement, viewing India as a key regional power
- Both countries agreed to maintain regular diplomatic communication following the Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit
The success of this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit in achieving diplomatic objectives despite controversy over women’s rights suggests that pragmatic interests may override human rights concerns in regional diplomacy. India’s approach mirrors that of other countries that maintain informal relations with the Taliban while avoiding formal recognition. The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit established mechanisms for ongoing cooperation in healthcare, education, infrastructure development, and counter-terrorism efforts.
Future developments following this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit will depend on the Taliban’s ability to moderate its policies on women’s rights and international terrorism. The controversy over women journalists’ exclusion during the Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit highlights the challenges of engaging with a regime that systematically violates human rights. However, the diplomatic and economic agreements reached during this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit suggest that both countries prioritize strategic interests over ideological compatibility.
Final Perspective
The Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit of October 2025 will be remembered as a watershed moment in South Asian diplomacy, despite being overshadowed by the controversy over women’s exclusion from media events. This Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit achieved substantial diplomatic progress, including the restoration of full embassy relations and commitments to counter-terrorism cooperation, while simultaneously highlighting the persistent human rights challenges posed by Taliban rule. The pragmatic approach adopted by both countries during this Afghanistan Foreign Minister India visit reflects the complex realities of regional geopolitics, where strategic interests often supersede ideological preferences in pursuit of stability and economic cooperation.
