India is tight-lipped on its further engagements with the Taliban leadership, following the ice breaker session at the Indian embassy in Doha on August 31, when India's ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai, head of Taliban's political office in Doha.
"Let us treat the Doha meeting for what it is...just a meeting," ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at the weekly media briefing today. He said that these were "very early days'' and that India used the opportunity to convey its two main concerns, which got a positive response from the other side.
India's concerns, he said, were that Afghan soil should not be used for terror—specifically anti-India terror—and that the safety of the Indians remaining in Afghanistan be ensured.
The meeting was a landmark one, given that India has not officially engaged with the Taliban on a one-to-one basis (India has been part of some peace talks and has shared seats at the same table with Taliban representatives). Every country that is a stakeholder in Afghanistan had begun engaging with the Taliban except India—which had not set aside its historical baggage with the outfit.
There is speculation that the two sides met for secret talks, but this is officially denied by both the MEA and by the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
The Taliban did not release a statement after the meeting, as it does after parleying with other diplomats. Nor was there a photoshoot. Bagchi said there were no pictures because the meeting was not that kind.
While it is known what India conveyed to the Taliban, what the Taliban themselves initiated or proposed has not been revealed—even though the meeting was held at its request.
The MEA did not elaborate on whether this meeting would be taken forward in any capacity over the coming days.
The Taliban have of late made announcements praising India's development work on Afghanistan and have said that these can continue. It has even said the air corridor for trade (which was set up in 2016 but discontinued after August 15) be resumed.
With the Taliban likely to form a government in the coming days, India will likely have to engage with them on more occasions.
India has maintained there is no distinction of "good" terrorists and "bad" terrorists. Bagchi, when asked how India would recognise the Taliban now given that it has been considered a terror outfit, sidestepped the question and said India's foremost concern was only that Afghan soil should not be used for terror.
