A report claims that India told the Taliban to not support "militant elements who are anti-India" in Afghanistan. What was the Taliban's response? What did the Taliban say about Pakistan? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Taliban confirms meeting with Indian delegation

A Qatari envoy has confirmed 'quiet talks' between India and the Taliban in Doha. What are India's options while dealing with the Taliban? Have the insurgents changed after 20 years in the wilderness? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Qatari envoy confirms India-Taliban talks

After fake tweets emerged attributing to the Taliban, the group has clarified that it Kashmir is India's internal matter and they don't support any Pakistani style "Ghazwa-E-Hind" or Holy war against India.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-govt-comes-to-indias-support-after-taliban-accused-new-delhi-of-supporting-traitors-299359">Afghan govt comes to India's support after Taliban accused New Delhi of supporting traitors</a>

In a tweet, Suhail Shaheen spokesperson Taliban Political Office, Doha said, "The statement that has been circulated in certain media regarding India does not belong to Islamic emirate. The policy of Islamic Emirate regarding neighbour states is very obvious that we don't interfere in the domestic issue of them"

Fake tweets attributing to Suhail Shaheen and Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has been doing round saying "Friendship between Islamic Emirate and India is impossible" which further stated "Islamic Emirate will capture Kashmir from infidels. 
Clearly, the Taliban has refused to get into Pakistani propaganda on Kashmir and Muslims in India.&nbsp;

The group also sees a positive role for India for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

Earlier this month speaking exclusively to WION from Doha, Suhail Shaheen said, "Based on our national interest and mutual respect, we would like to have positive relations with neighbouring countries including India and welcome their contribution and cooperation in the reconstruction of future Afghanistan."

He explained, "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a national Islamic movement of Afghanistan which has been struggling for the emancipation of the country from occupation. We don’t have any agenda beyond our border. "

The comments come even as the United States is keen that New Delhi speaks to Taliban. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was in Delhi last week, the first such visit after the US Taliban deal on 29th February and had spoken about this with India.

Meanwhile, Spokesperson of Afghan foreign ministry Gran Hewad today lauded India's role in the country and said "India one of the biggest donor countries and has helped Afghanistan in development and reconstruction areas, we appreciate their cooperation."

Explaining that Afghan govt would like to India to play an important role Gran said, "We expect India and other neighbouring countries play a significant role in the Afghan peace process".

India is Afghanistan's major development partner and has built the India Afghanistan friendship dam in the western province of Herat and the Afghan Parliament in capital Kabul.

The development partnership is premised on five pillars Infrastructure, Capacity Building, Humanitarian Assistance, Economic Development &amp; Connectivity. New Delhi offers 500 Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) slots to Afghanistan annually for capacity building. 
&nbsp;

After fake tweets emerged attributing to the Taliban, the group has clarified that it Kashmir is India's internal matter and they don't support any Pakistani style "Ghazwa-E-Hind" or Holy war against India.

After fake tweets emerged attributing to the Taliban, the group has clarified that it Kashmir is India's internal matter and they don't support any Pakistani style "Ghazwa-E-Hind" or Holy war against India. Also read: Afghan govt comes to India's support after Taliban accused New Delhi of supporting traitors In a tweet, Suhail Shaheen spokesperson Taliban Political Office, Doha said, "The statement that has been circulated in certain media regarding India does not belong to Islamic emirate. The policy of Islamic Emirate regarding neighbour states is very obvious that we don't interfere in the domestic issue of them" Fake tweets attributing to Suhail Shaheen and Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has been doing round saying "Friendship between Islamic Emirate and India is impossible" which further stated "Islamic Emirate will capture Kashmir from infidels. Clearly, the Taliban has refused to get into Pakistani propaganda on Kashmir and Muslims in India. The group also sees a positive role for India for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan. Earlier this month speaking exclusively to WION from Doha, Suhail Shaheen said, "Based on our national interest and mutual respect, we would like to have positive relations with neighbouring countries including India and welcome their contribution and cooperation in the reconstruction of future Afghanistan." He explained, "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a national Islamic movement of Afghanistan which has been struggling for the emancipation of the country from occupation. We don’t have any agenda beyond our border. " The comments come even as the United States is keen that New Delhi speaks to Taliban. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was in Delhi last week, the first such visit after the US Taliban deal on 29th February and had spoken about this with India. Meanwhile, Spokesperson of Afghan foreign ministry Gran Hewad today lauded India's role in the country and said "India one of the biggest donor countries and has helped Afghanistan in development and reconstruction areas, we appreciate their cooperation." Explaining that Afghan govt would like to India to play an important role Gran said, "We expect India and other neighbouring countries play a significant role in the Afghan peace process". India is Afghanistan's major development partner and has built the India Afghanistan friendship dam in the western province of Herat and the Afghan Parliament in capital Kabul. The development partnership is premised on five pillars Infrastructure, Capacity Building, Humanitarian Assistance, Economic Development & Connectivity. New Delhi offers 500 Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) slots to Afghanistan annually for capacity building.

Taliban acknowledges Kashmir internal matter of India after fake tweets

As the September 1 deadline to conclude talks with Taliban close in, United States of America, China, Russia and Pakistan have come together to hammer out a peace deal with the Taliban. This new strategic alignment on Afghanistan is causing India a great deal of discomfort. Not only it leaves India out of the decision-making loop, United States-led talks have not even accommodated concerns expressed by the Indian authorities.

India, in past 18 years, gained immense goodwill in Afghanistan after investing in schools, dams, infrastructure projects and electoral process. Post-2001, the US-led invasion pushed Taliban out of Afghanistan and ensured take over of Kabul by northern alliance which subsequently established control over major parts of the country. Ironically, India's position of advantage was heavily compromised by the unilateral talks which the US undertook with the Taliban. Not only it discredited the functional government with which India has deep ties, it also left the present Kabul dispensation out of loop.

Americans want to exit Afghanistan quickly. It is for this reason that the US engaged Taliban despite continuous attack by them on the present government. US special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, after conclusion of Doha talks with the Taliban, briefed both Russian and Chinese officials.

Subsequently, Pakistani officials were invited for talks in Beijing where all four countries released a statement on the conclusion of two-day meeting between four nations. The statement acknowledged importance of Pakistan in facilitating peace in Afghanistan. To top it all, former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai who is supposed to have close ties with India became a facilitator of Taliban talks in both Beijing and Moscow.

India, however, has been insisting that elections in Afghanistan must be held on schedule. This demand of India has not cut much ice with Amercian counterparts who want the elections to be postponed so that peace talks can quickly conclude.

Today, India is neither on the table where political negotiation with Taliban is taking place, nor it has been able to impress big powers with its concerns. Pakistan, through the ban on its airspace, has cut India from Afghanistan, imposing economic costs and making a political point of its indispensibility. Critics back at home believe that what matters in the end, though, is not India's diplomatic presence at various peace initiatives, but New Delhi's quiet but sustained engagement with all Afghan political formations.

As the September 1 deadline to conclude talks with Taliban close in, United States of America, China, Russia and Pakistan have come together to hammer out a peace deal with the Taliban.

As the September 1 deadline to conclude talks with Taliban close in, United States of America, China, Russia and Pakistan have come together to hammer out a peace deal with the Taliban. This new strategic alignment on Afghanistan is causing India a great deal of discomfort. Not only it leaves India out of the decision-making loop, United States-led talks have not even accommodated concerns expressed by the Indian authorities. India, in past 18 years, gained immense goodwill in Afghanistan after investing in schools, dams, infrastructure projects and electoral process. Post-2001, the US-led invasion pushed Taliban out of Afghanistan and ensured take over of Kabul by northern alliance which subsequently established control over major parts of the country. Ironically, India's position of advantage was heavily compromised by the unilateral talks which the US undertook with the Taliban. Not only it discredited the functional government with which India has deep ties, it also left the present Kabul dispensation out of loop. Americans want to exit Afghanistan quickly. It is for this reason that the US engaged Taliban despite continuous attack by them on the present government. US special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, after conclusion of Doha talks with the Taliban, briefed both Russian and Chinese officials. Subsequently, Pakistani officials were invited for talks in Beijing where all four countries released a statement on the conclusion of two-day meeting between four nations. The statement acknowledged importance of Pakistan in facilitating peace in Afghanistan. To top it all, former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai who is supposed to have close ties with India became a facilitator of Taliban talks in both Beijing and Moscow. India, however, has been insisting that elections in Afghanistan must be held on schedule. This demand of India has not cut much ice with Amercian counterparts who want the elections to be postponed so that peace talks can quickly conclude. Today, India is neither on the table where political negotiation with Taliban is taking place, nor it has been able to impress big powers with its concerns. Pakistan, through the ban on its airspace, has cut India from Afghanistan, imposing economic costs and making a political point of its indispensibility. Critics back at home believe that what matters in the end, though, is not India's diplomatic presence at various peace initiatives, but New Delhi's quiet but sustained engagement with all Afghan political formations.

As US, Russia, China and Pakistan come together for talks with Taliban, India left out