Chicago – August 17, 2026
Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires Noor Ahmed Noor has called for stronger engagement with India, describing the two countries as bound by a “shared past” of trade, culture and political history. Speaking at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi during the Islamic Emirate’s first public Victory Day reception in India, Noor said greater political trust and economic cooperation could advance regional stability, connectivity and shared prosperity.
The event marked the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul on August 15, 2021. Noor thanked India’s leadership and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for supporting what he termed Afghanistan’s legitimate international rights. Indian MEA Joint Secretary Anand Prakash attended, alongside diplomats from several countries.
However, India’s engagement exposes an apparent dual policy. New Delhi has repeatedly voiced concern over Taliban restrictions on Afghan women, girls and wider civil liberties, while continuing to withhold formal recognition of the Islamic Emirate.
Yet the Modi government has expanded practical ties, upgraded its Kabul mission to an embassy, allowed Taliban-appointed diplomats in Delhi, and increased humanitarian support. Critics argue that praising and engaging the Taliban for strategic influence risks undermining India’s stated human-rights position.
