Russia 1st Country to Officially Recognise Taliban Govt in Afghanistan
Place in News
6 min read
Russia became the first country in the world to recognise the current Taliban regime in Afghanistan on 3rd July 2025. The Taliban came back to power in August 2021, overthrowing the American-backed Ashraf Ghani government.
Most countries, including India, have closed their embassies in Kabul. Russia was one of the very few countries in the world, along with China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates, that did not close down its embassy in Afghanistan in 2021.
India does not recognise the Taliban government in Kabul but has reopened its embassy in Kabul after shutting down in 2021.
Russia and the Taliban
In 1979, the Soviet Union, of which Russia was a part, sent its troops to Afghanistan to support the communist government and installed the Babrak Karmal government in Afghanistan.
This sparked a civil war in the country in which the Afghan mujahideen, financed and backed by the United States through Pakistan, led to the death of around 15,000 Soviet troops.
The Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 and closed its embassy in Kabul in 1992 after the fall of the Russian-backed Mohammad Najibullah government.
The Afghan Mujahideen took over power in Afghanistan.
Taliban in Afghanistan
The Taliban, which is derived from Talib, means "student" in the Pashto language. They are a hardline Sunni Pashtoon group that comprises Afghan refugees who studied in the madrasas of Pakistan.
They came into power in 1996 and established a hardline Islamic government that enforced strict Sharia law in the country. They also provided a haven to other terrorist groups like al-Qaeda.
After al-Qaeda terrorists attacked the United States on 11 September 2001, the United States led a Western coalition to attack Afghanistan, and the Taliban were ousted from power in November 2001.
The Taliban found refuge in Pakistan and started a guerrilla war against the American forces.
The American forces ultimately withdrew from Afghanistan in February 2020, and the Ashraf Ghani government collapsed in August 2021, bringing the Taliban back to power.
Sanctions on Taliban
The Taliban government has enforced strict Sharia laws in the country and has banned girls' and women's education.
The United Nations has imposed sanctions on the Taliban for its policy against women.
The Taliban government was designated as a terrorist organisation by many countries of the world, including the United States and Russia.
In April 2025, Russia revoked the terrorist designation of the Taliban.
India's Relations with the Taliban
India closed its embassy in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over Kabul in 1996.
It reopened its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban were removed from power in 2001.
India has traditionally viewed the Taliban as a proxy of Pakistan and has refused to recognise it.
When the Taliban again captured power in 2021, the Indian embassy was again shut.
Though the Indian government does not recognise the Taliban government, it has nevertheless sent humanitarian assistance in the form of food and medicine to Afghanistan.
In June 2002, the Indian embassy was reopened in Kabul to coordinate humanitarian assistance.
The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan has deteriorated, and there have been border clashes between the two.
There has been a change in the Indian government's stance
In January 2025 , Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai.
In May 2025, for the first time, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar spoke to Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The Afghan government condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and supported India’s Operation Sindoor.
It is expected that the Indian government will soon also recognise the Taliban government.
