India’s concern is to ensure Afghan soil is not used for terrorist activities: MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

New Delhi: Days after Indian envoy to Qatar held discussions with a top Taliban leader in Doha, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (September 2) said that India's immediate focus is to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorist activities directed against it. 

MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that in the Doha meet with the Taliban India expressed concerns over the possible use of the Afghan territory for anti-India activities as well as evacuating remaining Indians from Afghanistan.

Talking about the meeting between Indian Ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal and Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, Bagchi said, "We received a positive response”. 

On being asked about more meetings with the Taliban, the MEA spokesperson said, “It's not a matter of yes and no. Our aim is that Afghanistan's land shouldn't be used for terror activity of any kind.”

When asked if India would recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan, Bagchi said, “It was just a meeting. I think these are very early days." He said that India is not aware of what kind of government could be formed in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the nation. 

#WATCH | "We will be able to revisit this issue once operations at Kabul airport resume. The majority of Indians have left Afghanistan," MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on bringing back remaining Indians from Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/ZNMiBFnMUP — ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2021

As Indian nationals are still stuck in Afghanistan, the MEA spokesperson said they will be brought back once operations at the Kabul airport resume, adding that the majority of Indians have left the Afghan nation. “Currently Kabul airport is not operational. We will resume our operation to evacuate people from Kabul as soon the airport service will resume,” ANI quoted him as saying. 

The Taliban seized Kabul on August 15 leading to then Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani fleeing the nation and a total collapse of the government. 

(With agency inputs)

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