Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi assured that the Taliban would not allow Afghan territory to be used against India. The meeting marked India's highest-level engagement with the Taliban since 2021.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the Afghan minister in Dubai on Wednesday to discuss security related issues against the backdrop of Afghan-Pak tensions and the recent incident of bombings. Ministry of External Affairs had on Monday condemned Pak airstrikes in Afghan territory.

Indian concerns over Pakistan-based terror groups were raised in the meeting –-preventing terrorist groups from using Afghan soil against India remains central to Delhi’s strategy.

Muttaqi and Misri discussed development aid and security assurances as India agreed to support Afghanistan's healthcare sector, future development projects and refugee rehabilitation.

In a statement following the meeting, the Taliban's foreign office said that they saw India as a "significant regional and economic partner." Expanding relations with Afghanistan and strengthening trade through Chabahar Port in Iran, which India has been developing for goods to bypass the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan, where the other talking points of the meeting.

According to The Indian Express this move comes as an integral part of the process of realignment of the regional powers: Iran is distracted by Israeli strikes; Russia is preoccupied with its war in Ukraine; China is deepening ties with Kabul; and Pakistan's relations with the Taliban are getting soured.

India has invested an estimated $3 billion in Afghanistan’s development over the last two decades.

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