Taliban officials from Afghanistan will participate in a course by the Ministry of External Affairs which will be conducted by IIM-Kozhikode. This is being seen as a significant development in the Indo-Afghan relations under the Taliban.
The online course is a part of the extensive Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme under the foreign ministry and is open to nationals of various countries, including Afghanistan. The programme – An Indian Immersion – will be held online from March 14 to March 17 and according to the ITEC website, it is designed for “cross-sectoral foreign delegates to develop a deeper understanding of India’s business environment, cultural heritage, and regulatory ecosystem”.
The ITEC, instituted in 1964, is one of the oldest and the leading capacity-building platforms by the MEA and its programmes have seen the enrollment of over 200,000 officials from more than 160 countries.
While several nations are participating, the Taliban’s decision comes as a surprise as India still maintains that it hasn’t officially recognised the Taliban regime in Afghanistan that swept power on August 15, 2021. However, India recently provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. India also recently announced that it would provide an additional 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan. The wheat will be supplied in partnership with the UN World Food Programme. The announcement came months after India pledged 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan, which was reeling under a severe food crisis.
India is amongst the few countries that run missions in Kabul, which reopened in June 2022, with the government terming it a “technical mission”.
Meanwhile, India Today TV learnt that top Indian officials have recently held a meeting with the Taliban.
