India has long-standing ties with Afghanistan: MEA

New Delhi, India has long-standing ties with Afghanistan and it is looking at further strengthening the relations with that country, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

The remarks came as the Taliban set-up in Kabul completes five years in power.

The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, after entering Kabul following the collapse of the Western-backed government and the withdrawal of US troops.


MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said there have been series of engagements between New Delhi and Kabul in the last one year and they have resulted in boosting the ties.

The Afghan embassy in New Delhi is planning to host an event next week apparently to mark the fifth anniversary of Taliban's rule.

"We had several visits from Afghanistan to India, and these have led to the strengthening of partnership in several areas, including development, cooperation, trade, and connectivity," Jaiswal said at his bi-weekly media briefing.

"We have long-standing ties with Afghanistan, and we look forward to further strengthening these ties that we have with them," he added.

Last October, India announced upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to the status of an embassy as part of broader efforts to deepen its bilateral engagement with Kabul.

India had withdrawn its officials from its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by deploying a "technical team".

India has not yet officially recognised the Taliban set up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul.

New Delhi has also been insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.

To a question on Nepal, Jaiswal said India has a very strong relationship with that country.

"We have a relationship that is very strong, very warm, and historical in nature. We've had people-to-people ties, which are unique. At the same time, when we have such a relationship or such a multifaceted partnership, there will be issues that people will have, which we need to sit down and discuss," he said.