Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, began a week-long official visit to India in October 2025. His itinerary includes a significant stop at Darul Uloom Deoband, a renowned Islamic seminary in Uttar Pradesh. The visit has attracted widespread attention for its historical, ideological, and diplomatic symbolism.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The Visit
Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit marks the highest-level interaction between India and the Taliban regime since the group’s return to power in 2021. His arrival in India comes amid efforts by the Taliban to strengthen regional relations and project a softer image abroad.
While in India, Muttaqi is scheduled to meet Indian officials, engage with Afghan students, and visit key religious and educational centres. Among these, his visit to Darul Uloom Deoband stands out as the most symbolically charged moment of the trip. He is expected to meet senior clerics, tour the seminary’s campus, and interact with students, including several from Afghanistan who are studying there.
What is Darul Uloom Deoband?
Darul Uloom Deoband was founded in 1866 in the town of Deoband, Uttar Pradesh. Over time, it became one of the most respected Islamic seminaries in South Asia. The seminary follows the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence and advocates a reformist, education-based approach to preserving Islamic teachings.
The “Deobandi” school of thought that emerged from this institution spread widely across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Many religious scholars, teachers, and movements across South Asia trace their spiritual or academic lineage to Deoband. Its influence can be seen in thousands of affiliated madrasas across the region.
Deoband’s Connection to Afghanistan and the Taliban
The link between Deoband and Afghanistan runs deep. For more than a century, Afghan scholars have studied at Darul Uloom Deoband and taken its teachings back home. The Deobandi school’s ideas became popular in Afghanistan during the 20th century, especially among religious students who sought Islamic reform rooted in scholarship rather than politics.
When the Taliban emerged in the 1990s, many of its leaders and clerics were graduates of Pakistani seminaries that themselves followed the Deobandi model. The ideological foundation of the Taliban—its emphasis on Islamic law, education, and social conservatism—reflects this heritage. Visiting Deoband, therefore, carries strong symbolic meaning for the group.
For the Taliban, Darul Uloom Deoband represents their spiritual origin. It is seen as the mother institution of the Deobandi movement, whose teachings shaped the religious outlook of their founders. By visiting Deoband, Amir Khan Muttaqi is reaffirming the historical and ideological link between the Taliban and the broader Deobandi tradition.
Why the Visit Matters
The visit has multiple layers of significance — religious, political, and diplomatic.
1. Affirming Ideological Roots
By visiting Deoband, Muttaqi acknowledges the Taliban’s doctrinal foundation. It is a gesture of respect toward the institution that shaped the religious and intellectual background of many Taliban scholars. The visit also signals to the Taliban’s followers that their movement remains committed to its original Deobandi teachings.
2. “Spiritual Diplomacy”
Muttaqi’s trip is not just political; it also represents what can be called spiritual diplomacy. Instead of focusing on military or economic agendas, the visit is built around cultural and religious connections. Engaging with Deoband allows the Taliban to present themselves as part of a broader Islamic scholarly tradition rather than an isolated militant movement.
3. Expanding Beyond Pakistan
Historically, the Taliban’s religious and logistical support came largely from Pakistan. But this visit to India — particularly to an Indian religious seminary — suggests that the group wants to diversify its relationships. Visiting Deoband gives the Taliban an opportunity to connect with religious institutions in India, signaling that their movement’s spiritual roots go beyond any one country.
4. India’s Perspective
For India, this visit presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, it allows New Delhi to open a non-political channel of communication with Afghanistan’s ruling authorities. Cultural and religious exchanges are less controversial than direct diplomatic recognition. On the other hand, India must carefully manage the optics of hosting Taliban officials, given global concerns about the group’s policies.
Nevertheless, India’s decision to allow the visit to Deoband reflects a pragmatic approach. It recognizes that religious diplomacy can play a role in building regional stability and understanding, even between countries with complex histories.
5. Public Relations and Image Building
For the Taliban, the visit also helps project a more moderate image. Engaging with an Indian institution known for scholarly learning allows them to show that they are interested in education, tradition, and dialogue. It is part of the Taliban’s broader effort to appear more open and diplomatic since their return to power.
Potential Outcomes
The Deoband visit could lead to several developments in the coming months and years.
- Educational Cooperation: More Afghan students may be encouraged to study at Deoband or similar institutions in India. This could revive traditional educational links that existed before decades of conflict disrupted them.
- Cultural Exchange: The visit might promote greater cultural understanding between India and Afghanistan, rooted in shared South Asian Islamic heritage.
- Shift in Regional Balance: If the Taliban continue building connections with Indian religious institutions, it could slightly reduce Pakistan’s exclusive influence over the group’s religious and educational landscape.
- Diplomatic Engagement: Though India does not officially recognize the Taliban government, informal engagements like this could lay the groundwork for future dialogue on issues like trade, security, and humanitarian aid.
Controversies and Concerns
Despite its symbolic value, the visit has sparked mixed reactions.
Some observers view it as an important step toward regional engagement, while others fear it may be seen as legitimizing the Taliban regime. Human rights groups have raised concerns that such visits should not overshadow the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s education and other freedoms in Afghanistan.
For India, there is also a delicate balance to maintain. While religious diplomacy can open doors, any visible closeness with the Taliban could attract criticism from domestic and international audiences. Therefore, the government’s approach has remained cautious — allowing the visit, but keeping it largely limited to religious and cultural grounds.
Deoband’s Position
Darul Uloom Deoband itself remains a respected centre of Islamic education, known for promoting religious scholarship and discipline. It does not involve itself in political activities and often distances itself from political interpretations of its teachings.
Scholars at Deoband are expected to welcome the visiting delegation as part of their tradition of hospitality but are unlikely to make any political statements. Their focus will likely remain on spiritual and educational matters, reinforcing that Deoband’s role is religious, not political.
Broader Meaning
The visit highlights the enduring influence of Deoband in shaping Islamic thought across South Asia. More than a century after its founding, this institution continues to be a point of reference for millions of Muslims across the world. Its reach extends far beyond India’s borders — influencing seminaries, scholars, and movements in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and beyond.
By returning to the source of their spiritual inspiration, the Taliban leadership is symbolically acknowledging their intellectual debt to Indian scholars. This also shows how religious ideas, unlike political boundaries, have long connected the peoples of South Asia.
The Road Ahead
Whether this visit leads to real change remains to be seen. Symbolism alone cannot replace substantive progress. But it does create space for dialogue, understanding, and education — all of which are essential for peace in the region.
For the Taliban, visits like these can help soften their international image and create opportunities for cooperation beyond politics. For India, it’s a reminder of how its cultural and religious institutions can serve as bridges of influence and dialogue even with complex neighbours.
Ultimately, Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Darul Uloom Deoband is more than a courtesy call. It represents an intersection of history, faith, and diplomacy — where religion becomes a medium of communication between two nations with deep, intertwined pasts. Whether this connection leads to constructive engagement or remains a symbolic gesture will depend on the willingness of both sides to build on shared heritage for a more stable future.
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