Indian Diplomats Seek Bilateral Trade Relations With Afghan Taliban Through Iran’s Chabahar Port

Since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban jihadi organization) took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, India, which did not support the Taliban against the U.S. and NATO, has been seeking ways to engage with the Taliban and gain influence in Afghanistan, where its rivals China and Pakistan already have an advantage.

Over the course of 2024, Indian diplomats and businessmen sought ties with the Taliban. The talks between Indian diplomats and Taliban officials have focused on trade relations, especially through the use of Iran’s Chabahar port, while New Delhi has also sought to counter Pakistan’s influence in Afghanistan.

In the first week of March 2024, J.P. Singh, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, met with Afghan businessmen at the headquarters of Afghan Taliban Foreign Ministry in Kabul.

According to Hafiz Zia Ahamad, the deputy spokesman of the foreign ministry, the talks involved economic, transit, and visa issues for Afghans. “Afghan businessmen called the bilateral trade between India and Afghanistan valuable for the economic development of both countries and called for the growth and development of bilateral trade from the Indian side, removing the existing problems and visas for Afghan businessmen,” Hafiz Zia Ahamad stated.[1]

Singh assured that the Republic of India “will pay serious attention to the issues of Afghan businessmen and promised to remove existing problems and facilitate visas.” He emphasized the need to increase exports and imports “through Chabahar port” of Iran.[2] However, the Afghan businessmen pointed out “some problems related to trade through Chabahar” in response to which the Indian representative promised to make “serious efforts to resolve the issues.”[3] He also met with Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Muttaqi. During the meeting, the talks focused on Afghanistan-Iran-Pakistan relations, in-depth discussions on India-Afghan bilateral relations, and the Taliban’s fight against the Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP). According to a statement published by the Taliban, the Indian representative said that New Delhi “is interested in expanding political and economic cooperation with Afghanistan, enhancing trade via the Chabahar port.”[4]

An Indian delegation led by Singh again met with Muttaqi in November 2024, to discuss the need to forge bilateral trade relations. According to a statement on the Taliban’s official website, “the focus was on fortifying relations between the two nations” and while Muttaqi “stressed the importance of supporting the Afghan people to foster trade relations, specifically by improving the process of issuing Indian visas” to businesspersons, the Indian special representative spoke about “upcoming discussions between technical delegations from the region, Afghanistan, and India regarding the Chabahar port.”[5]

In April 2024, an Indian merchant specializing in precious stones identified only by the name “Nagar” met with Taliban Governor of Panjshir province Hafiz Muhammad Agha Hakeem. According to a Taliban website, Nagar presented “a comprehensive investment plan for the mines in the province” and expressed “his admiration for the improved security situation in Afghanistan and encouraged fellow Indian businessmen to consider investing in the country.”[6]

In addition to the meeting, the Indian businessmen also participated in the emerald auction in Panjshir, and the province’s Taliban governor, noting “the potential benefits of foreign investment in the province’s mines,” said that the auction represented “a valuable opportunity for gem traders and enthusiasts to acquire high-quality emeralds from the region.”[7]

On January 8, 2025, Vikram Misri, the Foreign Secretary (who reports to the external affairs minister of India), met with Muttaqi in Dubai. According to a Taliban website, “the two parties deliberated on India’s humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, bilateral relations, and the prevailing security conditions in the region.”[8]

During the meeting, India and the Taliban government “concurred on advancing trade and commercial activities via the Chabahar port.”[9] India further pledged assistance and backing for healthcare initiatives and the repatriation of refugees, underscoring their enduring support for Afghanistan, the website noted.[10]

In an editorial, The Economic Times newspaper of New Delhi described the Misri-Muttaqi talks in Dubai as a pragmatic move by New Delhi.

Following are excerpts from the editorial:[11]

“In a move demonstrating pragmatism and strategic foresight, foreign secretary Vikram Misri met Afghan acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai last week. Although New Delhi does not recognize the Taliban regime, it has been steadily strengthening ties with Kabul over the past year. This meeting, however, marks the first high-level engagement of its kind since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.

“The Misri-Muttaqi engagement in Dubai occurred against the backdrop of rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. A series of Pakistani airstrikes on the Barmal district in Paktika province last month [in December 2024] only added to their deteriorating relationship. While Pakistan sees Afghanistan as its strategic depth, for India, improving relations with Afghanistan is crucial from both security and strategic standpoints.

“Muttaqi’s recognition of India’s security concerns, particularly the pledge not to allow Afghan territory to be used for anti-India activities, is significant. India reopened its mission in Kabul in 2022, but it remains a technical outpost focused on providing material support for health and stepping up engagement on Afghanistan’s developmental needs.

“Wednesday’s [January 15] meeting takes this engagement forward, particularly in health, trade and the use of the Chabahar Port to facilitate commerce, humanitarian aid and regional connectivity. India’s support for cricket is also an important area of cultural engagement. It comes on the heels of the Taliban’s appointment of an acting consul in the Afghan consulate in Mumbai in November [2024].

“Increased developmental engagement must be a primary step toward ensuring Afghanistan’s stability and that of the broader region. New Delhi should look at deepening this cooperation, including in new areas such as energy and infrastructure development. A stable Afghanistan is vital for both India and regional security.”

[1] AlemarahEnglish.af (Afghanistan), March 8, 2024.

[2] AlemarahEnglish.af (Afghanistan), March 8, 2024.

[3] AlemarahEnglish.af (Afghanistan), March 8, 2024.

[4] AlemarahEnglish.af (Afghanistan), March 7, 2024.

[5] AlemarahEnglish.af (Afghanistan), November 7, 2024.

[6] AlemarahEnglish.af (Afghanistan), April 30, 2024.

[7] AlemarahEnglish.af (Afghanistan), April 30, 2024.

[8] The Economic Times (India), January 8, 2025.

[9] The Economic Times (India), January 8, 2025.

[10] The Economic Times (India), January 8, 2025.

[11] The Economic Times (India), January 12, 2025.