The Taliban’s public health minister, Noor Jalal Jalali, has travelled to India on an official invitation, Taliban public health ministry said on Tuesday, marking the latest in a series of visits by senior Taliban officials to New Delhi.
It is the third visit by a senior Taliban official to India in less than three months, following trips by Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and their commerce minister Nooruddin Azizi.
In a statement, the Taliban’s health ministry said Jalali’s visit aims to strengthen health cooperation between the two sides, exchange expertise and coordinate joint efforts. The visit is expected to last several days.
During his stay, Jalali is scheduled to hold meetings with Indian officials, particularly in the health sector, and take part in pre-arranged programs, the statement said.
The Taliban said discussions would focus on capacity-building for Afghan health workers, the import of quality medicines, medical equipment and other health-related cooperation.
India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the meeting, posting a photograph with Jalali on social media and saying that “the visit reflects India’s enduring support for Afghanistan’s healthcare system, and we look forward to productive discussions”.
The visit comes as the Taliban recently gave Afghan traders three months to halt pharmaceutical imports from Pakistan, part of a broader shift in trade and supply chains amid strained relations between Taliban and Islamabad.
India has continued humanitarian and health assistance to Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Following Muttaqi’s visit to India in October, New Delhi said it would send an ambassador to Afghanistan, though the move has yet to take place, with sources citing security concerns.
Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan have deteriorated in recent months, particularly after Pakistani air strikes in parts of Afghanistan, including Kabul. Since then, all border crossings between the two countries have remained closed for more than two months.
