The week-long visit of Afghanistan’s Acting Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, to New Delhi last week may not have attracted much attention, but it marks another important step in the gradual strengthening of India-Afghanistan ties under Taliban rule.During his visit, Omari held talks with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on expanding cooperation in agriculture, irrigation, agricultural research, livestock, seed technology and trade. The discussions were part of India’s steady and practical engagement with Afghanistan over the past two years.

After the Taliban took control of Kabul in August 2021, India had shut its embassy and evacuated its diplomats. However, over the past few years, India has gradually stepped up its engagement with Afghanistan. High-level contacts have resumed, Taliban delegations are regularly visiting New Delhi, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has held telephone conversations with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.India reopened its mission in Kabul by setting up a technical mission in 2022, which was upgraded to a full-fledged embassy in 2025 after visit of the Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister to New Delhi in October 2025. Since then, direct flights have increased, trade has picked up, and people-to-people contacts have resumed.

New Delhi works with a caveat. It works with a caution that engagement does not mean recognition. While India is expanding cooperation with the Taliban administration on matters of mutual interest and people-to-people interest, it has not formally recognised the Taliban government. This reflects India’s pragmatic yet cautious approach towards Afghanistan.

For India, Afghanistan has never been just another neighbouring country. The two share civilisational links stretching back centuries, from the Gandhara civilisation to the Silk Route. India emerged as one of Afghanistan’s largest development partners after 2001, investing over three billion dollars in roads, dams, power projects, hospitals, schools and the iconic Parliament building in Kabul. Thousands of Afghan students studied in Indian universities, while Afghan traders became familiar figures in Indian markets. Those........

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