Afghan Envoy Meets Indian Official, Bilateral Ties & Visa Issues Discussed

The meeting took place at the Ministry of External Affairs office in the national capital. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on bilateral political and economic relations, trade expansion, visa facilitation, and the challenges faced by Afghan traders, students, and Afghan nationals residing in India.

In a post on X, the Afghanistan Embassy in India, "The Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in New Delhi, H.E. Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, met with Mr Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary of the Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran (PAI) Division at the Ministry of External Affairs of India."

Earlier, on January 10, Afghanistan appointed diplomat Noor Ahmed Noor at the Afghan Embassy in Delhi. He previously served as Director General of the First Political Department at Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry and was also a member of Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's delegation during his visit to India in October last year.

Earlier on December 20, Afghanistan's Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, said that India is emerging as a key alternative partner for Afghanistan's pharmaceutical needs, as its relationship with Pakistan stands "deteriorated".

Jalali said Afghanistan seeks to open a "new chapter" in cooperation with India, highlighting the long-standing ties between the two countries and India's role as a reliable health partner.

"We have a strong relationship with India, and we are here to open a new chapter of cooperation and collaboration. When it comes to Pakistan, the relationship has deteriorated." His remarks came during his visit to India for the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, held in New Delhi.

India reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian support for Afghanistan, emphasising the long-term supply of medicines and health assistance as a key pillar of bilateral engagement.

Jalali's visit followed the Ministry of External Affairs' welcoming him on his first official visit to India, underlining New Delhi's continued humanitarian outreach to Afghanistan despite changing regional dynamics.

Jalali's visit was part of a broader pattern of official exchanges between the two countries.

In October 2025, Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India for the first time since the Taliban took over in Afghanistan.

Speaking to ANI during that visit, Muttaqi expressed gratitude for the reception he received, saying, "The journey has been very good so far. Not just the people of Darul Uloom, but everyone in the area, has come here. I am grateful for the warm welcome they extended to me."

Afghanistan's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, on November 24, had announced that long-standing visa hurdles between India and Afghanistan have been resolved, allowing Afghan citizens to obtain Indian visas for both medical treatment and business purposes.

- ANI