India, Oct. 11 -- Afghanistan's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's ground-breaking eight-day visit to India which began on October 9 is the first high-level diplomatic engagement since the Taliban took power in 2021. Muttaqi, like other senior Taliban leaders, is subject to a UN travel ban. India secured a waiver from the UN Security Council's 1988 sanctions committee. This was a critical step in enabling the meeting to take place.

The visit signifies a major shift in India's policy toward the Taliban and has regional and domestic implications. It marks a pragmatic turn in India's foreign policy, prioritising engagement with the de facto rulers of Afghanistan over its initial non-recognition stance. This shift is influenced by regional...