The latest visit by Attaullah Omari, the Taliban’s minister of agriculture, irrigation and livestock, to New Delhi marks a significant deepening of ties between the Taliban regime and India. Omari arrived at the head of an official delegation and was received by Anand Prakash, India’s additional secretary for foreign affairs, who oversees Afghanistan policy.

His arrival represents the fourth ministerial-level visit from Kabul to India, following earlier trips by the Taliban’s foreign, public health, and commerce and industry ministers. Each of these visits has focused on expanding bilateral cooperation across different sectors.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed Omari’s visit and emphasised New Delhi’s interest in constructive discussions with Kabul.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture stated that the delegation’s primary aim was to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, irrigation and livestock, areas critical to Afghanistan’s economic survival and food security.

The growing number of high-level exchanges highlights a gradual strengthening of India’s engagement with Taliban-run Afghanistan. Beyond humanitarian assistance, India has broadened cooperation into trade, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure projects.

This expansion comes at a time when relations between Kabul and Islamabad have deteriorated to their lowest point in years. Pakistan’s repeated airstrikes inside Afghanistan and ongoing border clashes have provoked Taliban military responses, including claimed drone strikes in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and even near Islamabad. These developments have further deepened mistrust and hostility between the two neighbours.

The human dimension of this conflict has also reached India. At least one Taliban fighter wounded in recent border clashes with Pakistan has been transferred to New Delhi for medical treatment.

An Afghanistan International correspondent in the Indian capital met the injured fighter, who was unable to walk unaided, along with two companions. This episode underscores the Taliban’s growing reliance on India for humanitarian and medical support.

Pakistan has long regarded close ties between Kabul and New Delhi with suspicion, considering the limitation of Indian influence in Afghanistan a core national security priority. Despite these sensitivities, the Taliban has continued to expand political and economic cooperation with India.

Meanwhile, trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan has sharply declined, with several key border crossings remaining closed. Pakistan has conducted at least thirteen air and mortar strikes inside Afghanistan over the past five years, yet India remains the only country to have publicly condemned these attacks.

Afghanistan’s economic orientation has also shifted. The Taliban has increasingly replaced Pakistani goods and medicines in Afghan markets with imports from India and Iran. Trade routes have been redirected away from dependence on Pakistan’s Karachi port towards Iran’s Chabahar port, Central Asia and India. This reorientation reflects Kabul’s determination to reduce reliance on Pakistan and diversify its external partnerships.

Islamabad has accused the Taliban of collaborating with India to support Baloch militants and members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It has also alleged that India is financing and arming anti-Pakistan groups operating from Afghan territory.

Both the Taliban and India have rejected these accusations. Nevertheless, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently claimed that the Taliban regime was assisting India’s activities against Pakistan and vowed to continue military operations against Afghan-based threats.

India has not formally recognised the Taliban administration but continues to pursue practical cooperation in economic, humanitarian and security fields. This pragmatic engagement allows New Delhi to expand its influence in Afghanistan while avoiding formal recognition of the regime.

The Taliban, for its part, has shown a willingness to deepen ties with India despite Pakistan’s warnings, signalling a major shift in regional alignments.

Agencies