Interestingly, during the short visit, Thomas West met Afghanistan's top leader, Dr Abdullah Abdullah. While welcoming the "Taliban's good decision to let him see his family", the West, in a tweet, reiterated and discussed, "issues critical to Afghanistan’s future and relations with the international community: the need for political process, human rights abuses, women’s essential role in society, humanitarian situation, and terrorism threats."

Top United States government officials are in Delhi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and engage more on the issue of sanctions on Russia in the aftermath of its invasion of Ukraine. The officials are US Special Envoy on Afghanistan, Thomas West, who was on a brief visit to Delhi and has left now, and US Treasury Department's Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Rosenberg, who is currently in India.

In Delhi, Thomas held talks with the Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran) in the Ministry of External Affairs, JP Singh. During the talks, India's humanitarian support to the Afghan people was among the key issues on which talks transpired.

New Delhi, earlier this year, started supplying humanitarian aid to the country despite no recognition of the Taliban regime in Kabul. The aid included a gift of 50,000 MTs of wheat and vaccines to the people of Afghanistan.

In a tweet, Thomas said, "India is providing critical humanitarian aid, has interests to protect, and brings enormous capability and experience to support the Afghan people." We’ll continue to partner with India and others in the region to advance our shared goals."

Interestingly, during the short visit, Thomas West met Afghanistan's top leader, Dr Abdullah Abdullah. While welcoming the "Taliban's good decision to let him see his family", the West, in a tweet, reiterated and discussed, "issues critical to Afghanistan’s future and relations with the international community: the need for political process, human rights abuses, women’s essential role in society, humanitarian situation, and terrorism threats."

Dr. Abdullah Abdullah is on an India visit, his first visit since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August last year. Dr Abdullah has been Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation and led the intra Afghan talks with Taliban. Previously he served as the Chief Executive of Afghanistan from September 2014 to March 2020.

Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Rosenberg has meetings in Delhi and Mumbai. The key focus of Rosenberg's visit will be to engage with Delhi on US-led sanctions on Russia in the aftermath of its invasion of Ukraine. A U.S. Embassy Spokesperson said the visit is part of "continued Treasury efforts to engage with partners and allies around the implementation and enforcement of the unprecedented multilateral sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia for its war against Ukraine."

While Delhi has been calling for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv and an immediate cessation of hostilities, it has been getting discounted Russian crude oil. While India's import of Russian oil remains minuscule in its overall crude basket, the west has been urging New Delhi to reconsider it.

Rosenberg has helped develop and implement financial and energy sanctions in the past, including the tightening of global sanctions on Iran, the launching of new comprehensive sanctions against Libya and Syria, and the modification of Myanmar sanctions.

Earlier this year, the United States' Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics, Daleep Singh, visited India. He is the architect of Washington's sanctions on Russia and was categorical that there will be consequences if sanctions are circumvented. The comments did not go well in Delhi, with Indian side many times reminding how top importer of Russian energy remain countries in Europe.