India to attend the upcoming Moscow format on Afghanistan, says MEA

India will be participating in the upcoming Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan which is scheduled to be hosted by Russia on October 20 this year.

New Delhi: India will be participating in the upcoming Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan which is scheduled to be hosted by Russia on October 20 this year, said the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday. Addressing the weekly media briefing here in the national capital, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We have received an invitation for the Moscow format meeting in Afghanistan on October 20".

The Moscow format on Afghanistan will be the first edition ever since the Taliban seized power in the war-torn country. "India will be participating in it. Don’t have final confirmation of who will attend it. Most probably it would be at the joint secretary level," Bagchi added.

When asked if New Delhi will come face to face with the Taliban since the new cabinet has been formed in the war-torn country, Bagchi said, 'no bilateral talks likely to take place between the two sides. We will keep updating you about the meeting if any such development takes place."

The Moscow Format launched by Russia is a negotiation mechanism established in 2017 to address Afghan issues. It currently includes India, the USA, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iran and Central Asian states. India on various international platforms has been reiterating its stance on the situation in Afghanistan.

At the G20 leader's summit held recently, Prime Minister Modi called on the international community to forge a unified international response without which it would be difficult to bring about the desired change in Afghanistan’s situation. He has urged the international community to ensure that Afghan territory does not become a source of radicalization and terrorism.

The upcoming Moscow format meeting comes at a time when the situation in Afghanistan is volatile and also when the international community has been appealing for an inclusive government in Afghanistan. The meeting is expected to pave a path towards an equitable solution to the whole issue of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Taliban government has been seeking international recognition but countries are taking time to recognise the interim government. It is worth noting that the first official contact between New Delhi and the Taliban was on August 31 when the ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of Taliban's political office in Doha.

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