India Explores Agricultural Ties with Taliban Administration, Stops Short of Recognition

New Delhi: The Taliban administration of Afghanistan has expressed interest in deepening agricultural cooperation with India, including areas such as trade, infrastructure development, and irrigation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Sunday.

During a six-day visit from July 7 to 12, Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Abdullah Omari, held discussions with Indian officials. The MEA stated that both sides reviewed ongoing collaboration and explored new avenues in agriculture, irrigation, livestock, research, education, capacity building, and agri-trade.

Food security, seed systems, and crop productivity enhancement were key topics. India reiterated its commitment to supporting Afghanistan's agricultural sector through climate-resilient and bio-fortified crop varieties, the MEA added.

Mr. Omari met Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture and Farmers Welfare & Rural Development), Chirag Paswan (Food Processing Industries), and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita. Discussions included value addition in food processing, capacity building, and promoting bilateral trade in agricultural and food products.

The Afghan delegation also held meetings with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr. Omari is the fourth Taliban minister to visit India in the past year. Previous visitors include Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Public Health Noor Jalal Jalali, and Commerce Minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi.

India has not formally recognised the Taliban administration but has upgraded its technical team at the Indian embassy in Kabul to the level of chargé d’affaires. Since the Taliban takeover, India has provided food, medicines, and essential items to Afghanistan, often routed through Iran's Chabahar port before the US-Israel conflict with Iran disrupted that route.