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Taliban shows willing-signs to get along with India
Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, a prominent member of the political office the Taliban in Qatar, told Ariana News that as soon as Delhi contributed positively to the Afghan peace process, the Taliban were ready to get along.
Since the start of the talks between the United States and the Taliban in 2019, many countries, including Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, and some Central Asian countries, have approached the Taliban representatives, except for India.
The United States has recently poked India to participate in the process. The Taliban have also welcomed it, saying it is conditional of a positive move by the India side.
Responding to the question ‘if the Taliban were willing to talk to India as part of the US efforts’, the group’s prominent member Stanikzai said, “We have no problem with anyone who wants to take a positive step towards peace in Afghanistan. Whenever they want to take a positive step in this regard, we are ready to talk with them for peace.”
Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special representative for reconciliation in Afghanistan, has said India was an important element in Afghanistan’s peace process and would welcome its involvement in it
In the meantime, ThePrint, an Indian digital news platform, has written that it was not expected that the Narendra Modi administration would change its position and be directly part of Afghanistan’s peace talks with the Taliban unless it derives from pressure by the United States.
It has quoted senior Indian officials as saying that New Delhi was willing to speak out if the Taliban recognized the democratic government – the Afghan government – and that the United States was now forcing India to take part in the Afghan peace talks.
An Afghan free journalist, Sami Yousufzai, who is mostly following the peace process and its events, believes that India is deeply concerned about the Taliban’s return to the Afghan political system.
“It is a fact that during the Taliban regime, thousands of Kashmiri jihadist fighters were active in Afghanistan.” He has said noting that when the United States sought a guarantee from the Taliban that there would be no more room for al-Qaeda or other groups that pose a threat to the United States and the West, India also wanted to receive a commitment from the Taliban as such.
On the other hand, according to Yousufzai, Zalmay Khalilzad has tried to share India’s concerns with the Taliban, which seems to be fruitful as a relationship seems to have taken birth between the Taliban and India.
The progress in the Afghan peace talks has shown that Pakistan has influence over the Taliban and is a key player in the process.
India, on the other hand, had no place in the process but has now made it clear that at the other end of the process – the Afghan government – it has a strong position in relation to the Ghani-led government.
Ahmad Saeedi, a former diplomat at the Afghan embassy in Pakistan, said that following the US-Taliban agreement, [India] was deeply concerned thinking that all the provisions of the agreement were in Pakistan’s interest; therefore, Zalmay Khalilzad has been trying to seek India’s satisfaction to step into negotiations with the Taliban.
So far, India has not yet announced its will for direct talks with the Taliban; however, a point to be noted is that after meeting with Indian officials, Zalmay Khalilzad traveled to Pakistan and met with Qamar Bajwa, Pakistani army’s chief of staff, to seek Islamabad’s support in speeding up starting the Intra-Afghan talks, reducing violence, and overall, to help take the Afghan peace process to next level.
Khalilzad travels to Qatar to meet with Taliban political representatives, following up on his agenda: the acceleration of government-Taliban prisoner releases, the immediate start of Intra-Afghan talks, the reduction of violence, the humanitarian ceasefire, and last but not the least, India’s participation in the peace process.
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High-level Kyrgyz delegation arrives in Kabul
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced on Tuesday that a high-level delegation from Kyrgyzstan has arrived in Kabul.
According to the ministry’s statement, the purpose of the delegation’s visit is to expand economic cooperation and increase trade and investment between Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.
The statement added that during the visit, the Kyrgyz delegation will meet with officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and participate in the Trade Communication Conference as well as bilateral meetings.
The delegation will also visit industrial facilities and various enterprises operating in Afghanistan.
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Russia calls for broad engagement with Afghan authorities
Russia has urged the international community to adopt a comprehensive and non-politicized approach toward Afghanistan, emphasizing dialogue, regional cooperation, and practical support to stabilize the country and prevent further security deterioration.
Speaking at a recent UN Security Council meeting, Russia’s Permanent Representative, Vassily Nebenzia, said that contrary to Western predictions following the withdrawal of foreign troops, Afghanistan did not collapse. He argued that despite ongoing sanctions, Afghan authorities are making efforts to address long-standing challenges and pursue regional cooperation aimed at building a self-reliant state, though he acknowledged the process would take time and require international support.
Nebenzia said Russia continues to back the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and supports initiatives such as the Doha Process, which promotes engagement with the Islamic Emirate and Afghanistan’s gradual reintegration into global affairs. He stressed that constructive dialogue with the Afghan authorities is essential and warned against what he described as pressure, ultimatums, or sanctions-driven approaches, saying these could harden positions and undermine UN efforts on the ground.
The Russian envoy said regional players, including members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), share the view that engagement is the only viable path forward.
He also called for progress on unfreezing Afghan assets and expanding development assistance, warning that failure to do so could lead to a further drawdown of the UN presence in the country.
On security, Nebenzia expressed concern about ongoing terrorist threats, particularly from Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), also known as Daesh, noting that the group continues to receive external funding and recruit foreign fighters, including individuals with combat experience from Syria and Iraq.
He also raised alarm over uncertainty surrounding weapons left behind by NATO forces and warned of the growing production of synthetic drugs, which he said is closely linked to terrorism.
Nebenzia said Russia supports dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan amid rising tensions linked to militant activity, urging both sides to expand cooperation, especially on counterterrorism.
He also highlighted the worsening socio-economic situation in Afghanistan and praised humanitarian agencies for continuing their work despite funding cuts. Russia, he said, remains engaged in providing assistance and expanding cooperation with Afghanistan in political, security, and economic fields.
The Russian envoy reiterated Moscow’s support for the rights of all Afghans and the formation of an inclusive government, calling for respect for fundamental freedoms, including access to education and employment, without discrimination.
Nebenzia concluded by urging the UN to engage with Afghanistan’s “real authorities” to help resolve the country’s challenges and support its reintegration into the international community.
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Afghanistan’s public health minister begins official visit to India
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, has embarked on an official visit to India at the invitation of the Indian government, leading a delegation from the ministry.
In a statement, the Ministry of Public Health said the visit is aimed at strengthening health cooperation between the two countries, promoting the exchange of expertise, and coordinating joint health programs.
During the trip, Jalali is expected to hold meetings with Indian officials, particularly those from the health sector, and take part in a series of pre-arranged engagements.
Discussions will focus on capacity building for Afghan health workers, the import of standard medicines to Afghanistan, access to medical equipment, and other areas of cooperation.
The ministry said the visit is intended to open a new chapter in health collaboration between Afghanistan and India, with a focus on improving healthcare services and professional development.
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