In a significant diplomatic shift, the Afghan Taliban has declared the Kashmir issue an “internal matter” of India during a high-level meeting in New Delhi on October 10, 2025. The statement, made by Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi alongside India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, has ignited controversy, particularly in Pakistan, which views Kashmir as a disputed territory requiring international resolution.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The joint India-Afghanistan statement condemned a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives, and reaffirmed Afghanistan’s commitment to preventing its soil from being used for terrorism against India. Muttaqi’s reference to India and Afghanistan as “contiguous neighbors”—implying recognition of the 106-km border through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)—further underscored the Taliban’s stance, aligning with India’s claim over the region.
Historical Context and Taliban’s Evolving Stance
The Taliban’s position marks a departure from its earlier ambiguity on Kashmir. In May 2020, spokesperson Suhail Shaheen dismissed rumors of supporting a “Ghazwa-e-Hind” against India, emphasizing non-interference. Post-2021 Kabul takeover, the Taliban briefly voiced sympathy for Kashmiri Muslims in September 2021 but reverted to neutrality by 2022, with Anas Haqqani stating Kashmir was “not part of our jurisdiction.” The 2025 statement, however, is the clearest alignment yet with India’s narrative, driven by pragmatic needs for regional stability and Indian humanitarian aid, including 500 annual ITEC scholarships.
Regional and Domestic Reactions
The statement has deepened India-Afghanistan ties, with India viewing the Taliban as a counterweight to Pakistan-backed militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, it has strained Afghan-Pakistan relations, already tense over TTP activities. On social media platform X, Indian users hailed the Taliban’s stance as a diplomatic win, while Pakistani and Kashmiri groups decried it as a “betrayal” and violation of UN mandates. Kashmiri legal experts have called the statement “baseless,” arguing it ignores self-determination rights.
Broader Implications
The Taliban’s position reflects a delicate balancing act: maintaining ideological appeal to Muslim causes while avoiding conflicts that could invite Indian retaliation or global isolation. For India, the statement bolsters its outreach to Kabul, though security remains heightened in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan, meanwhile, faces a diplomatic setback, with its narrative on Kashmir as an international issue further challenged.
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