Overview

• Afghanistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Saharanpur, addressed attendees, and voiced hopes for stronger India–Afghanistan ties.
• Muttaqi said Kabul would send new diplomats to India and invited visitors to come to Kabul, describing the reception in India as encouraging for more frequent exchanges.
• External affairs minister S. Jaishankar announced India will upgrade its Kabul technical mission to an embassy and revive development work after talks with Muttaqi.
• Jaishankar said the Taliban authorities have shown sensitivity to India’s security concerns, framing the engagement as measured and conditional.
• Deoband’s seminary, long influential in South Asian Islamic scholarship with historical links to Afghan religious networks, hosted Muttaqi as a guest of the country during his six-day visit.