India hosts Taliban’s Amir Khan Muttaqi without recognising the Taliban flag, creating protocol complexity amid cautious engagement.
Context: Taliban Minister Arrives in India
- Afghanistan’s Taliban foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, is on a week-long trip to India, enabled by a UN travel waiver.
- This marks the first visit by a senior Taliban leader to India since the group regained power in 2021.
- During the trip, he is expected to meet with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval.
Flag Protocol Problem: India’s Diplomatic Dilemma
India faces a thorny issue: how to handle the Taliban flag during official engagements.
- Diplomatic protocol normally requires the host country to display its flag alongside the visitor’s flag during photo ops and meetings.
- But India does not officially recognise the Taliban government, and hence doesn’t grant official status to the Taliban flag.
- The Taliban flag is a plain white banner inscribed with the Shahada (Islamic declaration of faith).
- Previously, India has not permitted the Taliban flag at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi. Instead, the embassy continues to use the old Islamic Republic of Afghanistan flag from before the Taliban takeover.
- In past meetings (such as in Dubai), India sidestepped the issue by not displaying any flags — neither the Indian tricolour nor the Taliban flag.
- But with the meeting now on Indian soil, New Delhi must navigate this protocol challenge carefully.
Why Muttaqi’s Visit Matters
- Historically, India and Afghanistan shared strong ties. India closed its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban takeover but later opened a small mission to provide trade, medical, and humanitarian support.
- Although India does not formally recognise the Taliban regime, it has progressively engaged in official talks and interactions with senior Taliban officials.
- Muttaqi’s trip is seen as a potential turning point in how India engages with the Kabul government.
- The visit also comes amid broader regional diplomacy, especially as India aligns with global powers on Afghanistan’s strategic and security issues.
- New Delhi has consistently emphasized that Afghan soil must not be used against any country for terrorism, and has opposed foreign military deployment in Afghanistan.
Key Takeaways
- Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit is historic — the first such trip since Taliban’s return to power.
- India must resolve a diplomatic flag protocol clash, because it doesn’t officially recognise the Taliban flag.
- The visit signals a nuanced shift in India-Taliban engagement, balancing diplomacy, security, and international norms.
