Afghan cadets who had been stranded in India after the Taliban took over the country last year have safely returned to Kabul.

The return of the cadets followed a request by the Afghan Ministry of Defence to the embassy of India in Kabul last month, to allow  direct communication with the cadets being trained in the Indian Military Academy or the National  Defence Academy.

The dialogue was facilitated by the government agencies, including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)   between the Afghan defence ministry and the cadets. Following the interaction, the cadets finally returned to Kabul  on July 28 after the Afghan defence minister , Mullah Yaqub personally assured them of their safety and employment.

The entire cycle leading to the return of the cadets was possible after India positioned its technical team at the Indian embassy in Kabul. India’s humanitarian aid for the Afghan people at the time of serious food shortages also helped to generate goodwill that allowed the dialogue to succeed.

India has pledged 500 million tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan which is being transferred in batches.

New Delhi opened a diplomatic track with the Taliban after the visit to Kabul by JP Singh, who heads the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran desk at the Ministry of External Affairs. During the early June visit  , Singh met  Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, the defence minister Mullah Yaqub, and the interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Singh’s visit also resulted in the deployment of a “technical team” at the Indian embassy in Kabul.

Following the meeting, Muttaqi tweeted that the meeting had focused on India-Afghan diplomatic relations, bilateral trade and humanitarian aid.

Today, IEA Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi received Indian MEA Joint Secretary J.P. Singh & accompanying delegation.

The meeting focused on India-Afghan diplomatic relations, bilateral trade & humanitarian aid. pic.twitter.com/oIPdN1i4CE

— Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) June 2, 2022

The Afghan foreign minister had then called for the resumption of projects undertaken by India, reopening of India’s diplomatic presence in Afghanistan and the provision of consular services to Afghans, particularly to students and patients.

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