Taliban bat for good ties with India, extend support to Chabahar

"India is a very important country in this part of the world," head of the Taliban's political office Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said.

New Delhi: Amid the Afghanistan crisis, the head of the Taliban's political office Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai has called for good ties with India. During his 45-minute-long speech on Friday (August 27, 2021), Stanikzai touched upon several subjects like the formation of an inclusive government, and ties with regional countries like Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The speech which was delivered in the Pashto language was the first one by a top Taliban leader since the fall of Kabul on August 15. Stanikzai said, "India is a very important country in this part of the world. We want to keep good business and diplomatic relations. Our business with India is through Pakistan and we want that road to be kept open."