In a significant diplomatic development, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held his first conversation with Taliban acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, marking the highest level India-Taliban contact since 2021. The talks followed India's Operation Sindoor and were seen as a strategic response to growing tensions with Pakistan.

Jaishankar appreciated Muttaqi's condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and welcomed his rejection of Pakistani media claims alleging a Taliban-backed “false flag” operation by India. Both leaders emphasized deep rooted India-Afghanistan ties, agreeing to enhance trade, diplomatic cooperation, and expedite visas for Afghan traders and patients.

Muttaqi requested India's support in releasing Afghan prisoners and expressed interest in using Chabahar Port to strengthen regional trade. As Pakistan-Afghanistan relations sour, the India-Taliban channel could emerge as a pivotal axis in South Asia's shifting dynamics.