UNSC Nod To Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister’s India Visit, Muttaqi In Delhi From October 9 To 16

Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi has served as the Afghan foreign minister since the fall of Kabul in August 2021. (Image: Getty/File)

The UN Security Council on Thursday approved Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India after New Delhi sought permission for it, top sources told News18.

According to sources, Muttaqi will be in New Delhi from October 9 to 16, following his visit to Russia on October 6. The UN Security Council (UNSC) confirmed this significant development, as it had previously denied permission for the visit.

Due to his sanctioned status under the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1988 regime, targeting Taliban leaders, Muttaqi requires prior approval from the Security Council Committee for international travel. On Saturday (September 30), it approved an exemption to the travel ban for the Taliban leader to visit New Delhi from October 9 to 16.

The sources said this is significant for India-Taliban ties with the minister visiting New Delhi for high-powered meetings, marking India’s strategic move against Pakistan and China.

Muttaqi has served as the Afghan foreign minister since the fall of Kabul in August 2021.

In May, Muttaqi held an informal meeting in Beijing with his Chinese and Pakistani counterparts, Wang Yi and Ishaq Dar, in a bid to deepen trilateral cooperation by agreeing to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.

India has opposed the USD 60 billion CPEC construction as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).