A planned visit by Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to the Taj Mahal was abruptly canceled Sunday, with local officials saying the decision came from authorities in New Delhi, Indian media reported.
Muttaqi, who is on a six-day visit to India, had been scheduled to tour the iconic 17th-century monument in Agra and attend a luncheon at a nearby hotel before returning to the capital. However, police and archaeological officials confirmed the visit was called off at the last minute.
“The directive to cancel the visit came from Delhi,” Sonam Kumar, Agra’s deputy commissioner of police, told Indian media, adding that no reason was provided for the cancellation.
According to Hindustan Times, a senior official at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which manages the Taj Mahal, also confirmed the visit had been scrapped but declined to give further details.
Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, October 9, and held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Afghan embassy. He also addressed a press conference that drew criticism after no women journalists were reportedly allowed to attend. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said Saturday it had “no involvement” in organizing the event.
Muttaqi’s visit to India — the first by a senior Taliban official since they took power in Kabul in 2021 — comes as both Afghanistan and India face mounting tensions with Pakistan over cross-border militancy and regional security.
On Saturday, Muttaqi visited the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district, one of South Asia’s most prominent Islamic institutions.
India has not formally recognized the Taliban administration, though it has maintained limited diplomatic engagement and recently reopened its embassy in Kabul with a technical team.
