Overview

• An official UN statement says the Security Council’s 1988 Sanctions Committee approved a travel-ban exemption for Amir Khan Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from October 9 to 16.
• The trip would be the first by a senior Taliban leader to India since the group took power in 2021, with key engagements expected in the capital on October 9 and 10.
• Muttaqi is scheduled to attend the Moscow Format consultations in Russia on October 6–7 before flying to India.
• India maintains it has not recognized the Taliban regime, with discussions expected to focus on humanitarian assistance, restarting development projects, trade links such as via Chabahar, and counter-terrorism assurances.
• A previous bid for a waiver was not granted due to lack of consensus on the committee, with reporting pointing to objections from Pakistan and at times the United States.