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Afghanistan and India pledge closer ties in high-level diplomatic call
In a significant diplomatic development, Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday held a wide-ranging telephonic conversation aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing regional cooperation.
According to a statement released by the Afghan foreign ministry, the discussion focused on enhancing bilateral relations, promoting trade, and upgrading diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
Calling India a key regional country with historical relation with Afghanistan, Muttaqi expressed hope for further strengthening relations, reiterating Afghanistan’s commitment to a balanced foreign policy and constructive engagement with all sides.
Among the key issues raised by the Afghan side were requests to streamline visa processes for Afghan businessmen and medical patients, as well as appeals for the release and repatriation of Afghan nationals imprisoned in India.
Jaishankar responded positively, assuring progress on both fronts and highlighting joint political and economic efforts between the two nations.
Both ministers also underscored the strategic importance of Chabahar Port, a key regional transit hub jointly developed by India and Iran, and expressed mutual interest in accelerating its use to boost regional trade and connectivity.
Jaishankar also said in a post on X that he expressed appreciation for Muttaqi’s condemnation of the recent attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He also welcomed the Muttaqi’s clear rejection of “false and baseless reports” that aimed to create distrust between the two countries.
Reaffirming India’s traditional friendship with the Afghan people, Jaishankar emphasized continued support for Afghanistan’s development needs and discussed pathways for future cooperation.
The call marks a notable effort by both New Delhi and Kabul to maintain and strengthen their historically close relations, despite broader geopolitical complexities and the absence of formal diplomatic recognition of the current Afghan government by India.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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