Afghanistan has left the era of warfare and has started a journey towards stability, reconstruction and economic growth under the umbrella of the Islamic system, said the diplomatic representative of the Taliban administration at an event held here that, for the first time, celebrated the 2021 victory of the Taliban.

Presenting what he described as Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s initiatives after defeating the previous government, Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Afghanistan, said on Monday (August 17, 2026) that Afghanistan’s territory should not be a space of ‘competition’ and should serve as an arena of cooperation, connectivity and transit facilities.

M. Anand Prakash, the Joint Secretary for the Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran (PAI) Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, at the Victory Day event at the Afghanistan Embassy, Delhi on August 17

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“We have left the chapter of war behind and embarked on a new chapter in which Afghanistan, under prudent and unified leadership and within the framework of the Islamic system, has been taking steps towards stability, reconstruction, economic growth, and the expansion of relations with the world on the basis of mutual respect,” Mr. Noor in a speech delivered in Pashto.

The reception, which started with an Islamic prayer, was attended by a large number of diplomats belonging to Russia, China, Qatar, Libya, Bhutan, Mongolia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Ambassador of Iran Dr. Mohammad Fathali and Palestinian ambassador Abdullah Abu-Shawesh were among the guests. From the Indian side, Joint Secretary in charge of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran (PAI) division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Anand Prakash attended the event along with other members of the MEA.

India has at least four weekly flights that are currently connecting Afghanistan with India, as both sides are trying to contain the economic fallout of the ongoing war in the Gulf. Senior Indian officials who attended the event said that the Iran vs U.S. conflict has impacted India-Afghanistan trade, but the freight corridor between the two sides has helped in maintaining the links.

“Despite the war in the Gulf, India-Afghanistan trade remains around $1 billion, which is a sign of stability,” said a senior Indian official. Considering the fact that the Taliban, which does not enjoy full diplomatic recognition by India, was allowed to host a celebration of its ‘Victory Day’ in the Indian capital for the first time, the official said, “Taliban is a reality and we have to engage with them”.

The reception was held against the backdrop of continued engagements between India and the Taliban administration in Kabul that have, in the past two years, clashed with Pakistan on multiple occasions. Mr. Noor said that Afghanistan, over the past five years, have shifted from “managing war” to “strengthening the rule of law, expanding diplomatic and economic relations with countries, the reconstruction and economic development of the country”.

Among the officials and representatives of the Taliban who visited India in the last year were Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Foreign Minister; Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce; Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health, and Ataullah Omari, acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock who visited in July 2026.

During the visit of Mr. Muttaqi last year, sections of the officials in the Afghan Embassy had resisted the arrival of Taliban officials to the mission. However, this time around, such resistance was not visible among the Embassy staffers and officials and the flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was liberally used during the event on the stage as well as on the embassy premises. “In recent years, relations between Afghanistan and India have witnessed significant progress, guided by mutual respect, political engagement, and shared interests,” said Mr. Noor.

Mr. Noor said the stability of Afghanistan is an “important opportunity for economic growth, trade, energy, transit and security across the entire region”. He did not touch upon the condition of women in Afghanistan and mentioned that among the many initiatives of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has been a crackdown on the narcotics production system in the country. “Afghanistan’s geography should not be a field for negative competition, but rather a bridge for connectivity, cooperation and shared prosperity,” said Mr. Noor.