It should not confer legitimacy to insurgent groups or convey the impression of two competing state authorities for Afghanistan, which could undermine the legitimate Afghan State, Afghan Government and the political, social and economic progress witnessed in Afghanistan over the past decade, to which the international community itself has contributed in great measure.

Recently the Afghan President has declined Taliban offer for talks in absence of a clear picture on the issue from the latter.

On the issue of Taliban setting up a office in Qatar, the official spokesperson in the Indian External Affairs Ministry, Syed Akbaruddin said : “We have followed developments relating to the opening of an office of the Taliban in Qatar and statements made by the representatives of that office and others. These statements reflect some confusion about the name of the Qatar office, its structure, its political and legal status, and its objectives. We have also seen the reaction of the Government of Afghanistan to these developments.”

He said that India has always called for a broad-based Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled reconciliation process, within the framework of the Afghan Constitution and the internationally accepted red lines. Such a process would necessarily recognise the centrality of the Government of Afghanistan in the process, and involve all sections of the Afghan society, as also the insurgent groups, including the Taliban, who wish to join the mainstream.

India remains committed to supporting the government and the people of Afghanistan, in accordance with the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement and a reconciliation process that has the support of the Government and the people of Afghanistan.