Indian Media: Taliban Deputy Interior Minister made secret visit to India
An Indian media report claims the Taliban’s Deputy Interior Minister secretly visited India amid rising regional tensions and recent security incidents.
An Indian media outlet, Sunday Guardian on May 14, has reported that Ibrahim Sadr, the deputy security minister in the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior and a close associate of Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, recently made a secret visit to India. Citing Taliban sources, the report claims that Sadr arrived in New Delhi just days after the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The reasons behind the covert visit remain unclear. However, Sunday Guardian speculates that the trip may be linked to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, suggesting that Sadr—who is known for his anti-Pakistan stance—might have been sent as an envoy by Akhundzada to explore backchannel diplomacy.
Neither Indian officials nor Taliban spokespeople have publicly confirmed the visit. Details regarding who Sadr met in New Delhi, if anyone, remain undisclosed.
Ibrahim Sadr is widely regarded as a hardliner within the Taliban’s Kandahar faction and is known for his hostility toward Pakistan. He is also believed to have maintained close ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, positioning him as an influential but controversial figure within Taliban ranks.
The Sunday Guardian noted that if Sadr’s visit is confirmed, it could indicate a quiet policy shift in New Delhi’s approach to Afghanistan. According to the outlet, one senior Taliban official in Kabul anonymously confirmed Sadr’s presence in India.
Some analysts believe that India may be seeking to establish a secret communication channel with senior Taliban figures from the Kandahar faction—especially those wary of Pakistan’s growing influence in the region.
The newspaper also reported that if Sadr met with Indian officials, it could reflect a strategic recalibration by New Delhi on how it engages with the Taliban regime, especially amid changing regional dynamics.
Some speculate it involved confidential talks on border security, counter-terrorism cooperation, or infrastructure agreements. Others suggest that Sadr may have come to discuss internal disputes within the Taliban leadership itself.
The Sunday Guardian remarked that the secrecy around Sadr’s trip is not surprising. India has historically avoided confirming sensitive diplomatic engagements, and the Taliban are known for preferring behind-the-scenes dealings in international matters.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Express Tribune, a media outlet close to the military establishment, reported on a trilateral meeting between the Taliban, China, and Pakistan. In that meeting, the parties reportedly agreed to limit India’s influence in Afghanistan to diplomatic functions only.
According to Express Tribune, the Taliban also backed Pakistan’s call for a neutral investigation into the Pahalgam attack and emphasized keeping a diplomatic distance from India. It further stated that Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani reassured Pakistan’s special envoy, Mohammad Sadiq, that Pakistan need not worry about its western border.
Nonetheless, the simultaneous reports of Ibrahim Sadr’s visit to India raise questions about internal power dynamics within the Taliban. While the Haqqani faction reassures Pakistan, the Kandahar-based leadership appears to be exploring new relationships—possibly to counterbalance Pakistan’s sway.
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