Taliban Foreign Minister arrives in India; Delhi faces diplomatic flag dilemma
Guwahati: Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s UN-sanctioned Foreign Minister, arrived in India this week for a significant diplomatic visit, marking the first high-level engagement between the Taliban government and New Delhi since the group returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
His week-long trip became possible after the UN Security Council granted him a temporary travel waiver.
Muttaqi is expected to meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during his stay, as India explores cautious engagement with the Taliban administration in Kabul.
The visit holds considerable diplomatic weight, with regional stakeholders, including Islamabad, closely monitoring the developments.
Flag Protocol Poses Diplomatic Challenge
As preparations for bilateral talks proceed, Indian officials are grappling with a protocol issue, whether or not to display the Taliban flag during official photo-ops.
Standard diplomatic practice requires flags of both nations to be displayed behind or beside leaders during formal meetings.
However, since India has not officially recognized the Taliban regime, it also does not acknowledge the group's white flag bearing the Islamic shahada.
In line with this stance, New Delhi has refused to allow the Taliban flag at the Afghan Embassy, which still flies the tricolour of the ousted Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, led by former President Ashraf Ghani.
Previously, Indian and Afghan officials managed the issue by omitting both flags entirely during meetings abroad.
For instance, during Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's interaction with Muttaqi in Dubai earlier this year, neither the Indian nor Taliban flags were displayed.
With this meeting taking place in Delhi, the flag issue adds a layer of complexity to the visit.
Strategic Timing and Regional Context
Muttaqi’s arrival coincides with India’s broader attempts to re-engage with Afghanistan, primarily through humanitarian aid, trade facilitation, and counter-terrorism dialogue.
Although New Delhi shut down its Kabul embassy in 2021 after the Taliban takeover, it re-established a limited diplomatic presence in 2022 to maintain essential contacts and aid delivery.
According to a news report, Muttaqi’s current trip follows a recent phone call with EAM Jaishankar, during which both sides discussed Operation Sindoor and the Kabul administration’s condemnation of the terror attack in Pahalgam.
The conversation indicated a tentative shift toward structured dialogue.
Earlier this year, the Taliban described India as an "important regional and economic power" after talks between Muttaqi and Foreign Secretary Misri, a statement viewed as a diplomatic overture.
India’s Cautious Approach
Despite these interactions, India maintains a cautious position. It continues to insist that Afghan territory must not be used for launching terrorist attacks against any country.
India also joined Russia, China, and other regional powers in a joint statement opposing any foreign military presence in Afghanistan.
This move came amid renewed concerns about U.S. intentions regarding the strategic Bagram airbase.