Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has concluded his six-day official visit to India, returning to Kabul on Wednesday following a series of cultural, religious, and diplomatic engagements aimed at enhancing bilateral relations.

The visit marked one of the most significant Taliban-era exchanges between New Delhi and Kabul since the group's return to power in 2021.

Before his departure, Muttaqi was presented with sacred relics belonging to Sheikh-ul-Hind Maulana Mahmud Hasan, a revered Islamic scholar and freedom fighter. The family of the Sheikh presented him with a piece of his shawl and a Fez cap, symbolising spiritual respect and shared historical traditions between India and Afghanistan. In a video shared by Hafiz Zia Ahmad, Director of Public Communication for the Afghan Foreign Ministry, the presentation ceremony was shown as a gesture of goodwill and cultural harmony.

A significant highlight of Muttaqi’s visit was his stop at the historic Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in Uttar Pradesh. Established in the late 1800s by prominent Islamic scholars such as Sayyid Muhammad Abid, Fazlur Rahman Usmai, and Mahtab Ali Deobandi, the seminary has long been a center of theological study and reform. Darul Uloom has deep intellectual and spiritual connections with Afghanistan, having influenced the religious education of many Afghan clerics.

During his visit, Muttaqi was warmly received by the seminary community. Speaking to ANI, he expressed heartfelt gratitude for the reception, stating that his interactions in India had been “very good” and that the “future of India-Afghanistan relations seems very bright.” His remarks emphasized the goodwill from the Afghan side and reflected an attempt at softer cultural diplomacy.

On October 10, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held detailed discussions with Foreign Minister Muttaqi in New Delhi. The dialogue covered a broad range of topics, including trade, humanitarian aid, regional security, and counterterrorism cooperation.

Both sides exchanged views on regional developments and reaffirmed their interest in maintaining continued engagement despite the absence of formal Indian recognition of the Taliban administration.

According to the joint statement issued after the meeting, Minister Jaishankar reiterated India’s long-standing friendship with the Afghan people and underlined the historic and cultural ties linking the two nations. He assured India’s continued support for Afghanistan’s developmental aspirations, particularly in humanitarian assistance, capacity building, and infrastructure development.

This visit is being seen as a notable signal of thawing relations and an evolving diplomatic approach toward Kabul by New Delhi, focusing on people-to-people connections and regional stability.

While India remains cautious in its engagement with the Taliban-led government, the symbolic gestures and the cordial tone of talks indicate a pragmatic attempt to sustain constructive channels of communication between the two countries.

Based On ANI Report