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Good Relations With Taliban Are in India's Best Interests: Experts

© AP Photo / Altaf QadriA cyclist pedals past the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. India's External Affairs Ministry is examining a letter from the Afghan Embassy that says it plans to cease all operations in the Indian capital by Saturday, an official said Friday. India has not recognized the Taliban government which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
A cyclist pedals past the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. India's External Affairs Ministry is examining a letter from the Afghan Embassy that says it plans to cease all operations in the Indian capital by Saturday, an official said Friday. India has not recognized the Taliban government which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. - Sputnik India, 1920, 30.01.2024
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Formal political recognition may not have been given to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, but the world realises that any dealings with the country must go through them.
Afghanistan's Taliban-appointed foreign minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions from neighbouring countries, including India.
The Taliban-controlled Foreign Ministry said in a press statement that other ambassadors and diplomats were from Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Indonesia.
India maintaining "working relations" with the Taliban in Afghanistan is the need of the hour, even if New Delhi does not formally recognise the regime, experts say.

"The whole world is talking to Taliban and many countries are doing business with them. How can India ignore them, especially when Afghanistan is our close neighbor," said G. Parthasarathy, a former diplomat.

Asked about India's official participation in a Taliban-organised conclave in Kabul aimed at promoting regional cooperation, Parthasarathy said India, along with other countries, had taken a "wise decision" by maintaining a channel of communication with them "as it's also in the larger interest of the region".
"They (Taliban) are the ones ruling Afghanistan at the moment and when one has to do any sort of business with the country, it's they who the world would have to talk to," he told Sputnik, adding that it would have been "foolish" on India's part if it did not maintain any communication channel with them.
India, he said, has also been exporting wheat and other essentials to help the people of Afghanistan as and when required to maintain good neighbourly relations.
Another expert discussing the issue with Sputnik expressed the same views, saying "you cannot ignore them as they are ruling a nation".

"India has a number of projects going on in Afghanistan and these cannot be abandoned just like that. Also, there's a strong people to people connection between the two countries and it makes the whole thing clear that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan cannot be ignored even if you formally recognize them or not," said Qamar Agha, a strategic expert.

However, he expressed concern that the Taliban in Afghanistan were not fulfilling the promises they made when they took over the country.

"Conducting elections and providing required freedom to women are some of the promises that they must keep to improve their image in front of the world," he said, adding that it would then help Afghanistan reach progress.

*The Taliban is under UN sanctions for extremism.
A cyclist pedals past the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. India's External Affairs Ministry is examining a letter from the Afghan Embassy that says it plans to cease all operations in the Indian capital by Saturday, an official said Friday. India has not recognized the Taliban government which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. - Sputnik India, 1920, 27.01.2024
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