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    <title>Aaj TV English News - World</title>
    <link>https://english.aaj.tv/</link>
    <description>Aaj TV English</description>
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    <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:11:31 +0500</pubDate>
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    <ttl>60</ttl>
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      <title>In a first, Indian foreign minister calls Afghan Taliban</title>
      <link>https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416170/in-a-first-indian-foreign-minister-calls-afghan-taliban</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;India has established its first political-level contact with Afghanistan since the &lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/30266152/"&gt;Taliban took control of Kabul in August 2021&lt;/a&gt;, as Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has spoken over the phone with the country’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and has thanked him for condemning the &lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330413189/pakistan-expresses-concern-over-attack-in-pahalgam"&gt;Pahalgam attacks&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In a telephonic conversation on Thursday, Jaishankar underlined India’s traditional friendship with the Afghan people.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;He high level contact was made amid reports in a segment of the Pakistani media that alleged India had “hired” the Taliban to stage a “false flag” operation in Pahalgam.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Jaishankar also wrote on X, “Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“Welcomed his [Muttaqi] firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“Underlined our traditional friendship with the Afghan people and continuing support for their development needs. Discussed ways and means of taking cooperation forward,” he wrote.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    &lt;figure class='media  w-full  w-full  media--stretch  media--embed  media--uneven media--tweet'&gt;
        &lt;div class='media__item  media__item--twitter  '&gt;&lt;span&gt;
    &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"&gt;
        &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1923036293656871262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1923036293656871262%7Ctwgr%5E5b26c4c4e726bed62f0626e02f68d80eb328781c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatoday.in%2Findia%2Fstory%2Fin-a-first-jaishankar-holds-first-ever-call-with-taliban-foreign-minister-glbs-2725562-2025-05-16"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
    &lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
        
    &lt;/figure&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;On the other hand, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad took to X and stated, “IEA-Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi held a telephonic conversation with the Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“The discussion focused on enhancing bilateral relations, promoting trade, and upgrading diplomatic engagement.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;    &lt;figure class='media  w-full  w-full  media--stretch  media--embed  media--uneven media--tweet'&gt;
        &lt;div class='media__item  media__item--twitter  '&gt;&lt;span&gt;
    &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"&gt;
        &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/HafizZiaAhmad/status/1923112370051658089"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
    &lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
        
    &lt;/figure&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Read more&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;blockquote class="blockquote-level-1"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330414554/us-secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-engages-both-pakistan-india-to-ease-pahalgam-attack-tensions"&gt;US Secretary of State Marco Rubio engages both Pakistan, India to ease Pahalgam attack tensions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;blockquote class="blockquote-level-1"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415141/jaishankar-slams-european-nations-dismisses-eu-stance-on-pak-india-tensions"&gt;Jaishankar slams European nations, dismisses EU stance on Pak-India tensions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;blockquote class="blockquote-level-1"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330414543/if-india-makes-any-move-we-will-respond-with-full-force-reiterates-dg-ispr"&gt;If India makes any move, we will respond with full force, reiterates DG ISPR&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id="background" href="#background" class="heading-permalink" aria-hidden="true" title="Permalink"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Background&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;After the Pahalgam attack, India &lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415567/pakistan-shoots-down-five-indian-military-jets-after-delhi-launches-missile-strike-at-six-pakistani-locations"&gt;tried to wage a war against Pakistan&lt;/a&gt; under the banner of “Operation Sindoor” on May 7.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;However, Pakistan &lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415964/massive-indian-losses-after-pakistan-launches-operation-bunyanun-marsoos"&gt;responded&lt;/a&gt; decisively when India fired missiles at Pakistan.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The conflict ended within hours, with the &lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415986/india-admits-pakistan-struck-26-military-sites-in-major-retaliation"&gt;Indian army admitting losses&lt;/a&gt; and offering de-escalation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330413189/pakistan-expresses-concern-over-attack-in-pahalgam"&gt;ceasefire&lt;/a&gt; was announced by US President Donald Trump.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;After the ceasefire, on May 13, the Pakistan military &lt;a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416061/pakistan-military-announces-martyrdom-of-11-soldiers-in-war-with-india"&gt;announced&lt;/a&gt; the martyrdom of 40 civilians and 11 personnel.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
      <content:encoded xmlns="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p><strong>India has established its first political-level contact with Afghanistan since the <a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/30266152/">Taliban took control of Kabul in August 2021</a>, as Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has spoken over the phone with the country’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and has thanked him for condemning the <a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330413189/pakistan-expresses-concern-over-attack-in-pahalgam">Pahalgam attacks</a>.</strong></p>
<p>In a telephonic conversation on Thursday, Jaishankar underlined India’s traditional friendship with the Afghan people.</p>
<p>He high level contact was made amid reports in a segment of the Pakistani media that alleged India had “hired” the Taliban to stage a “false flag” operation in Pahalgam.</p>
<p>Jaishankar also wrote on X, “Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.”</p>
<p>“Welcomed his [Muttaqi] firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.”</p>
<p>“Underlined our traditional friendship with the Afghan people and continuing support for their development needs. Discussed ways and means of taking cooperation forward,” he wrote.</p>
<p>    <figure class='media  w-full  w-full  media--stretch  media--embed  media--uneven media--tweet'>
        <div class='media__item  media__item--twitter  '><span>
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
        <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1923036293656871262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1923036293656871262%7Ctwgr%5E5b26c4c4e726bed62f0626e02f68d80eb328781c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatoday.in%2Findia%2Fstory%2Fin-a-first-jaishankar-holds-first-ever-call-with-taliban-foreign-minister-glbs-2725562-2025-05-16"></a>
    </blockquote>
</span></div>
        
    </figure></p>
<p>On the other hand, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad took to X and stated, “IEA-Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi held a telephonic conversation with the Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar.”</p>
<p>“The discussion focused on enhancing bilateral relations, promoting trade, and upgrading diplomatic engagement.”</p>
<p>    <figure class='media  w-full  w-full  media--stretch  media--embed  media--uneven media--tweet'>
        <div class='media__item  media__item--twitter  '><span>
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
        <a href="https://twitter.com/HafizZiaAhmad/status/1923112370051658089"></a>
    </blockquote>
</span></div>
        
    </figure></p>
<p><strong>Read more</strong></p>
<blockquote class="blockquote-level-1">
<p><a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330414554/us-secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-engages-both-pakistan-india-to-ease-pahalgam-attack-tensions">US Secretary of State Marco Rubio engages both Pakistan, India to ease Pahalgam attack tensions</a></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="blockquote-level-1">
<p><a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415141/jaishankar-slams-european-nations-dismisses-eu-stance-on-pak-india-tensions">Jaishankar slams European nations, dismisses EU stance on Pak-India tensions</a></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="blockquote-level-1">
<p><a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330414543/if-india-makes-any-move-we-will-respond-with-full-force-reiterates-dg-ispr">If India makes any move, we will respond with full force, reiterates DG ISPR</a></p>
</blockquote>
<h2><a id="background" href="#background" class="heading-permalink" aria-hidden="true" title="Permalink"></a>Background</h2>
<p>After the Pahalgam attack, India <a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415567/pakistan-shoots-down-five-indian-military-jets-after-delhi-launches-missile-strike-at-six-pakistani-locations">tried to wage a war against Pakistan</a> under the banner of “Operation Sindoor” on May 7.</p>
<p>However, Pakistan <a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415964/massive-indian-losses-after-pakistan-launches-operation-bunyanun-marsoos">responded</a> decisively when India fired missiles at Pakistan.</p>
<p>The conflict ended within hours, with the <a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330415986/india-admits-pakistan-struck-26-military-sites-in-major-retaliation">Indian army admitting losses</a> and offering de-escalation.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330413189/pakistan-expresses-concern-over-attack-in-pahalgam">ceasefire</a> was announced by US President Donald Trump.</p>
<p>After the ceasefire, on May 13, the Pakistan military <a href="https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416061/pakistan-military-announces-martyrdom-of-11-soldiers-in-war-with-india">announced</a> the martyrdom of 40 civilians and 11 personnel.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
      <category>World</category>
      <guid>https://english.aaj.tv/news/330416170</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 16 May 2025 12:00:25 +0500</pubDate>
      <author>none@none.com (Web Desk)</author>
      <media:content url="https://i.aaj.tv/large/2025/05/16102651978e6c2.webp?r=102705" type="image/webp" medium="image" height="720" width="1200">
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        <media:title>Afghan policemen stand guard next to Indian and Afghan national flags, at a check point in Kabul city May 12, 2011. Reuters
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