Afghanistan’s Minister for Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for an official visit, the Afghan health ministry confirmed, marking another step in expanding engagement between Kabul and New Delhi.
The visit is the third high-level Afghan delegation to India in the past three months, following earlier trips by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Industry Minister Nooruddin Azizi. Afghan officials said the multi-day visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the health sector and promoting the exchange of technical expertise.
According to the Afghan health ministry, Jalali is scheduled to meet Indian officials, particularly those linked to healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and take part in several organised programs. Discussions are expected to focus on capacity-building for Afghan healthcare workers, the import of quality medicines and medical equipment, and broader collaboration to improve Afghanistan’s healthcare system.
The visit comes shortly after the Taliban-led government banned the import of pharmaceutical products from Pakistan, increasing Afghanistan’s reliance on alternative suppliers.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed the Afghan delegation, saying the visit reflects India’s continued support for Afghanistan’s healthcare sector and expressing hope for constructive and productive discussions.
Meanwhile, tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan remain unresolved. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to take action against cross-border militancy and prevent the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from operating from Afghan soil, allegations that the Afghan Taliban have denied.
Dialogue between the two countries followed border clashes in October, with multiple rounds of talks held in Turkey under mediation by Qatar and Turkey. However, those discussions failed to produce a concrete agreement, and negotiations were described as entering an “indefinite phase” after the third round on November 7.
Following the stalled talks, the Afghan Taliban suspended trade ties with Pakistan, which had already shut border crossings for trade in response to the October clashes.
