India Should Talk To Taliban "Openly", Says Ex-External Affairs Minister

Former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said that India has been carrying out development works in Afghanistan since 2001

Former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha today said the Indian delegation should talk to Taliban openly and transparently, not secretly or in closed doors after Taliban spokesperson Muhammad Suhail Shaheen told ANI that the Indian delegation is participating in Doha meeting. Speaking exclusively to ANI, the former External Affairs Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, said, "A meeting is underway in Doha for the last few days, where delegations from various countries, including the Indian delegation, are participating. I think the Indian delegation might be meeting the Taliban delegation. I would request the government to continue talks openly and transparently with Talibans and not secretly because they are in the power in Afghanistan." The terrorist group has managed to get hold of half of the country's 34 provincial capitals and now control roughly two-thirds of Afghanistan, with a complete pullback of foreign troops just two weeks away. Earlier, on Saturday, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said that the Indian delegation is participating in a meeting at Doha. But he did not confirm whether there was a direct talk between the Indian and Taliban delegations.