The planned visit of Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Agra on Sunday, October 12, 2025, has been cancelled. Official sources confirmed the cancellation, but no specific reason was provided by officials in Agra. Muttaqi was scheduled to visit the Taj Mahal during his trip.
Muttaqi is currently on a week-long visit to India, having arrived in New Delhi on October 9, 2025. This visit marks the first by a senior Taliban minister to India in four years, although India has not officially recognized the Taliban government. During his time in India, Muttaqi has been involved in a series of meetings aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between Afghanistan and India.
Prior to the cancellation, Muttaqi visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district on Saturday. Darul Uloom Deoband is a historically significant Islamic seminary in South Asia with spiritual ties to Afghan religious scholars. Muttaqi expressed his gratitude for the warm reception he received from Indian Muslims and religious scholars during his visit to Deoband. He also hinted at the possibility of deploying Afghan diplomats to the Afghan Embassy in Delhi, stating that visits between the two countries would become more frequent.
Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani emphasized the shared legacy between India and Afghanistan, noting that the relationship extends beyond religious scholarship and is linked to India's independence movement. Madani also stated that previous concerns about terrorist infiltration through Afghanistan had been allayed after meetings.
Muttaqi's visit has not been without controversy. Allegations arose that women journalists were barred from a press conference he conducted at the Afghanistan embassy on Friday, following his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Opposition parties condemned the alleged incident as "unacceptable" and an "insult to women," criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the matter.
Despite the cancelled Agra visit, Muttaqi is scheduled to attend a meeting with industry and business representatives in New Delhi, organized by a major chamber of commerce. He will also meet with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to discuss security, counterterrorism, humanitarian aid, and visas for Afghan students and businessmen.
