Indian delegation meets Taliban in Moscow, promises aid

India has promised to provide humanitarian assistance to crisis-wracked Afghanistan at a high-level delegate meeting in Moscow. The Indian delegation led by J.P Singh, joint secretary of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division of the Ministry of External Affairs, was met by Afghanistan's Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi and other members of the insurgent group currently ruling Afghanistan.

The Indian delegation was in Russia by invitation of its government to attend the "Moscow Format" meeting. Talks were held with the Taliban leaders on the sidelines of the conference, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a brief statement. No confirmation has been reported from the Indian government. According to reports from Afghani media, the meeting also ended with both sides agreeing to understand each other's concerns and improve diplomatic and economic relations.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov commended the Taliban for their efforts to impose peace on the war-torn region at the Moscow Meet which included representatives from 10 countries including China and Pakistan.

This is the first official meeting between Indian representatives and the Taliban since the latter had formed the Interim Cabinet of Afghanistan's new government. The first contact between the two sides was in Doha on August 31, where Indian envoy Deepak Mittal met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's deputy foreign minister.