Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan meets Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (IANS)
New Delhi: India’s steadily expanding engagement with Afghanistan is emerging as one of the most significant yet understated shifts in South Asian geopolitics.
The visit of Afghanistan’s Agriculture Minister Mawlawi Ataullah Omari to New Delhi this week – the fourth ministerial-level visit from Kabul since October 2025 – signals that both countries are moving beyond humanitarian assistance towards structured sectoral cooperation, despite the complex political realities following the Taliban’s return to power.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said during the visit from July 7 to 12 the Afghan Minister met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. “The two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation and explored new avenues for collaboration in agriculture, irrigation, livestock, agricultural research, education, capacity building and agri-trade, the MEA said.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan meets Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (IANS)
“Food security, seed systems and enhancement of crop productivity featured prominently in the discussions. India reiterated its commitment to supporting Afghanistan’s agricultural sector through cooperation in climate-resilient and bio-fortified crop varieties, sustainable irrigation practices, water harvesting, watershed development and other areas of mutual interest.”
He also met Minister of Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan for discussions, including on food processing and promotion of bilateral trade in agricultural and food products. The Afghan delegation also interacted with a host of agriculture bodies, banks and federations including the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
But here is the catch!
The Afghan Minister also met Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles and “exchanged views on ongoing bilateral cooperation aimed at supporting the welfare and development of the Afghan people,” the MEA said.
The strategic importance
The growing engagement reflects New Delhi’s pragmatic recognition that maintaining channels of communication with Kabul is essential not only for supporting the Afghan people but also for safeguarding India’s long-term strategic interests in a region increasingly shaped by the competing influences of Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran and Central Asian states.
Afghanistan occupies one of the world’s most strategic geographical locations. It serves as a bridge between South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, Russia, and China.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan meets Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (IANS)
Historically known as the ‘Heart of Asia’, Afghanistan influences the security architecture of an entire region stretching from the Indian subcontinent to the Middle East.
For India, Afghanistan is the gateway to Central Asia’s vast reserves of energy, minerals and emerging markets. Although direct land access remains blocked by Pakistan, New Delhi has consistently sought alternative connectivity routes through Iran’s Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
A stable Afghanistan significantly enhances the prospects of these connectivity initiatives.
The evolution of ties with the Taliban
When the Taliban entered Kabul on August 15, 2021, India swiftly evacuated its embassy, bringing home diplomats, Indian nationals and vulnerable Afghan partners. The embassy was closed amid fears over security, uncertainty about the Taliban’s intentions and concerns regarding Pakistan-backed terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan.
However, India never completely disengaged from Afghanistan. Recognising the worsening humanitarian crisis, New Delhi continued supplying food grains, medicines, vaccines and relief material while maintaining informal contacts with Taliban officials.
Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita meets Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 (IANS)
A major policy shift came in June 2022, when India deployed a “technical team” to Kabul to oversee humanitarian assistance, monitor Indian projects and facilitate limited diplomatic engagement. Although this technical mission fell short of a fully operational embassy, it laid the foundation for rebuilding official relations.
Then, following the visit of Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in October last year, India re-upgraded its mission in Kabul to that of an embassy.
Omari’s visit this week illustrates India’s pragmatic foreign policy approach – separating diplomatic engagement and development cooperation from the question of political recognition. In the evolving geopolitical landscape, maintaining stable relations with Afghanistan has become an important pillar of India’s regional strategy.
Countering Pakistan, China and regional security
For decades, Pakistan viewed Afghanistan as providing strategic depth against India and sought to maintain significant influence in Kabul.
Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita meets Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 (IANS)
India’s expanding engagement with Afghanistan helps prevent Pakistan from enjoying exclusive strategic influence, ensures Afghanistan maintains an independent foreign policy, and preserves India’s long-standing goodwill among the Afghan people. Unlike Pakistan’s security-centric approach, India has built its reputation through development assistance.
Before 2021, India had invested more than $3 billion in Afghanistan’s reconstruction through roads, dams, hospitals, schools, power infrastructure and capacity-building projects.
Afghanistan also remains central to regional security. The resurgence of terrorist organisations, including Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and concerns regarding groups such as Al-Qaeda and regional militant networks, continue to worry neighbouring countries.
India’s interests include preventing Afghan territory from being used for anti-India terrorism, ensuring extremist organisations do not gain strength, and promoting regional stability through sustained engagement. Maintaining communication channels with the authorities in Kabul enables India to better understand evolving security dynamics and protect its own national security interests.
Meanwhile, China has steadily expanded its engagement with Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power. Chinese interests include extending President Xi Jinping’s pet Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), securing critical mineral resources such as lithium, copper and rare earth elements, preventing instability from spilling over into Xinjiang, and expanding economic influence across Central Asia.
For India, maintaining constructive ties with Kabul helps ensure that Afghanistan does not become exclusively dependent on China for investment, infrastructure and diplomatic support. Rather than competing militarily, India has chosen to remain relevant through development partnerships, institution-building and capacity enhancement.
Significance of agriculture in India-Afghanistan ties
At first glance, cooperation in agriculture in the face of Omari’s visit may appear technical. In reality, agriculture is one of the most powerful instruments of diplomacy in Afghanistan because nearly two-thirds of the population depends directly or indirectly on farming.
Nearly half of Afghanistan’s population continues to require humanitarian assistance. Economic hardship, drought, unemployment and food insecurity remain major challenges. India has consistently supplied wheat, medicines, vaccines, disaster relief, and educational assistance. A more self-reliant Afghanistan is less vulnerable to instability, extremism and mass migration.
India’s assistance in climate-resilient seeds, watershed management, irrigation, livestock improvement, agricultural research, food processing, and value chains helps strengthen Afghanistan’s rural economy. India has positioned itself as the “Voice of the Global South”.
New Delhi’s Afghanistan policy reflects this philosophy by focusing on food security, sustainable development, climate resilience, capacity building, and people-centric cooperation. The approach aligns with India’s broader diplomatic narrative that development is essential for lasting peace. This enhances India’s credibility among developing countries facing similar governance and developmental challenges.
The significance of Omari’s visit lies not merely in the agreements on agriculture or food processing but in what it represents: the steady consolidation of a pragmatic and forward-looking India-Afghanistan relationship. For New Delhi, engagement with Kabul is no longer just about humanitarian assistance. It is a strategic necessity shaped by regional security, connectivity, economic integration and geopolitical competition.
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