Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on 7-day visit to India; calls India a “close friend” and invites investment in Afghanistan’s mineral sector
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, currently on a seven-day visit to India, said on Friday that Afghanistan will not hand over the Bagram Airbase to anyone. He also asserted that the country’s soil would “never be used against any other nation.”
His statement came in response to former US President Donald Trump’s recent demand that America should regain control of the Bagram Airbase, which it built during its military presence in Afghanistan. Trump had warned of “serious consequences” if his demand was ignored.
Muttaqi firmly stated, “The Afghan people will never accept foreign troops on their land. Any nation wishing to build relations with Afghanistan must come through diplomatic channels, not in military uniforms.”
Highlighting India–Afghanistan relations, Muttaqi described India as a “close friend” that has always supported Afghanistan in difficult times. He praised India for being the first country to send humanitarian aid after the recent earthquake in Herat province.
Muttaqi also invited Indian investment in Afghanistan’s mineral and energy sectors, saying, “The path to Afghanistan’s resources goes through the Taliban, and we are ready to work with India.” The country holds vast reserves of lithium, copper, and rare earth minerals,critical for the global battery and tech industries.
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