India takes a step closer to recognising Taliban ahead of Muttaqi’s visit

8 OCTOBER 2025

Two days before the visit of Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban regime ruling Afghanistan, the Indian government came one step closer to formally recognising the Taliban, as a regional grouping that India is a part of admitted Mr. Muttaqi as a “member” for the first time.
Mr. Muttaqi, who is on the UN Security Council’s list of banned terrorists, was given special permission to travel to India from the UN Sanctions committee on September 30, 2025.
According to sources, Mr. Muttaqi will be accorded full protocol as a visiting Foreign Minister, including being hosted by the government.
Apart from Russia, no country has recognised the Taliban government thus far, and since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021, representatives of the ‘Acting government’ in Afghanistan have attended the meeting as observers only.