Engagement without recognition: India & new Afghanistan, Pg19.

Key Highlights:

• Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi concluded an eight-day visit to New Delhi, resulting in the re-establishment of the Afghan Embassy in Kabul.
• The Embassy had been operating as a "technical mission" since June 2022, focusing on aid distribution after the Taliban takeover.
• India maintains an "engagement-without-recognition" approach towards the Taliban government, similar to its dealings with Taiwan and Myanmar.
• The UN continues to withhold recognition of the Taliban due to concerns over inclusivity, terrorism, and human rights, particularly for women and girls.

Detailed Insights:

• India's "engagement-without-recognition" model allows diplomatic interaction without legitimizing the Taliban's seizure of power in 2021.
• The Taliban has actively sought engagement with India, offering assurances against anti-India activities within Afghanistan.
• Deteriorating relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including border disputes and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) issue, provide India with strategic leverage.
• India aims to leverage Afghanistan's economic needs, inviting investment in sectors like mining and promoting connectivity projects like TAPI and the Chabahar port.
• Russia, China, and UAE have taken steps towards recognizing or engaging with the Taliban, reflecting a global trend of pragmatic engagement.
• The UNSC 1988 Sanctions Committee granted an exemption allowing Muttaqi's visit, highlighting the complexities of international engagement with the Taliban.

Key Concepts Involved:

• De facto: Existing in fact, regardless of legal status or recognition.
• De jure: Existing according to law or legal right.
• Engagement without recognition: Interacting with a governing entity without formally acknowledging its legitimacy.