In the midst of global headwinds of geopolitics, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India marks a tentative diplomatic thaw in relations between the two countries. The visit is seen as India’s subtle re-engagement strategy with Afghanistan while carefully keeping the debate on recognising the Taliban government at bay. The move is timely, keeping in mind China’s expanding influence and the recent fallout in Afghanistan–Pakistan relations. From India’s standpoint, the visit aligns with the country’s multi-alignment foreign policy and its opportunity to turn contradictions into leverage.

India’s shift from non-alignment to multi-alignment is a pragmatic strategy. While engaging with multiple, even competing, power centres in the region simultaneously, New Delhi holds on to autonomy and maintains its relations with the United States, Russia, and ASEAN members. Now, Muttaqi’s visit to India complements India’s foreign policy vision. While India works towards strengthening its position as a key regional player, it does so by acknowledging every regional stakeholder. This way, India not only caters to its own national interests but also seeks to sustain long-term engagement by interacting with regimes that are not only controversial but also diagonally opposite to India’s ideology.

India’s re-engagement with Afghanistan is proof of its multi-layered diplomacy and relationships that are sustainable. For example, while Iran’s Chabahar port is critical to India’s trade through Central Asia, India’s defence and strategic alignment with Russia serve as critical support vis-à-vis China and the West. Similarly, India........

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