India’s Limited Influence Over the Taliban and Pakistan’s Accusations
India has historically opposed the Taliban and supported Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance but resumed diplomatic ties only after 2001. Since the Taliban’s return in 2021, India’s engagement has been limited, with recent diplomatic thaw marked by reopening its embassy following the Taliban Foreign Minister’s 2025 visit. Pakistan accuses India of controlling the Taliban, a claim India rejects amid worsening Taliban-Pakistan relations.
The article discusses India’s historically cautious and limited relationship with the Taliban, starting with its refusal to recognize the Taliban regime in 1996 and backing the Northern Alliance. After the US-led intervention ousted the Taliban in 2001, India resumed diplomatic and developmental engagement in Afghanistan but maintained no contact with the Taliban until a recent reassessment in 2025. The reopening of India’s embassy in Kabul and the visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi mark a diplomatic thaw, but India’s leverage remains politically and financially limited. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif’s claims that India controls the Taliban reflect Islamabad’s frustration, especially with the Taliban’s assurance they will not allow Afghan territory to be used against India. These accusations serve Pakistan’s domestic and diplomatic interests, deflecting criticism from its own policies and seeking favor with the United States amid deteriorating Taliban-Pakistan ties. India’s muted response to these allegations reflects a strategic choice about perception and influence in a complex regional geopolitical landscape.
