After five years the US-led forces were pulled back from Afghanistan, around a dozen countries have been engaging with Taliban leaders, but they are yet to recognise the new government in Kabul formally.

The US-led troops entered Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Pentagon’s “war on terror.”

Two decades out of power, the Taliban is back and is ruling the country through violence against women, violations of human rights, and other forms of discrimination against its own people. International human rights and humanitarian agencies are raising concerns about the Taliban's actions in the country. However, informally, some countries are engaging with the Taliban differently.

According to various media sources, countries currently engaging with the Taliban include Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, China, India, Iran, and the European Union (EU). The strategic importance of Afghanistan and its geography is the primary reason for this engagement. Kabul holds geopolitical significance by connecting four regions of Asia—East, West, North, and South. Afghanistan was officially categorized as a South Asian country in 2007 when it became the eighth member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

To the northeast of Afghanistan lies the rising power of China; to the west, Iran. The northern border of Afghanistan is crucial to three countries—Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan—which were once part of the Soviet Union. In the south lies Pakistan, a fellow South Asian nation.

Afghanistan has often been referred to as the "graveyard of empires" due to its long history of resisting powerful invaders. The British Empire was forced to withdraw in the 19th century at the height of its dominance. The Soviet Union, one of the 20th century’s superpowers, was driven out in the 1980s. Most recently, in the 21st century, the United States and its allies were compelled to leave after two decades of conflict.

Countries are engaging with the Taliban in various ways, at different levels, and for different agendas. Between 1996 and 2001, only a few countries—most notably Pakistan—formally recognized the Taliban government. However, even after four years of Taliban rule (referred to as "Taliban 2.0"), Pakistan, its closest ally, has yet to formally recognize the regime.

Nevertheless, Pakistan was the first country to voice support for the Taliban 2.0 government in Kabul. Still, it has not established formal diplomatic relations. Initially, Pakistan advocated for Afghanistan's representation in SAARC during the appointment of a new Secretary General. However, the other seven member countries reached a consensus to place Afghanistan last, in alphabetical order, and appointed Bangladeshi diplomat Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar as Secretary General in October 2023. Since the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan has been excluded from participating in international institutions, including SAARC. This arrangement was described as an "out-of-the-box solution," initiated by Nepal, the SAARC chair, in collaboration with the SAARC Secretariat. As a result, there is currently no official Afghan representative at the SAARC Secretariat.

In October 2021, Pakistan’s then-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visited Afghanistan, marking the first visit from the international community since the Taliban’s return to power in August that year. In early July 2024, Taliban leaders met Pakistani officials in Doha, aiming to ease tensions after Pakistan announced a new operation against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group it claims operates from Afghan soil, according to Dawn, a Pakistani news outlet.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members such as Qatar—who brokered the US-Taliban deal—as well as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have engaged with the Taliban regime to address the security vacuum, humanitarian crises, and infrastructure challenges. One major meeting occurred in June 2023, when Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani visited Abu Dhabi and met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. It was Haqqani’s first trip abroad since the Taliban regained control. Taliban’s intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq was also part of the delegation. Emirati state-run media reported that both sides discussed “strengthening cooperation between the two countries and enhancing ties to serve mutual interests and contribute to regional stability.”

In September 2023, Russia hosted Taliban representatives for talks on regional threats and expressed willingness to assist Afghanistan independently and through the UN food agency. The meeting in Kazan was part of Moscow's strategy to maintain its influence in Central Asia amid its war in Ukraine. Discussions included the formation of an inclusive government. President Vladimir Putin’s special representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, also attended.

China, Afghanistan’s northeastern neighbor, deepened ties with the Taliban regime after accepting its newly appointed ambassador to Beijing in late 2023. In August 2023, Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir expressed support for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and affirmed "practical cooperation" with China. This prompted China to welcome the Taliban envoy. During the Belt and Road Forum in October 2023, Acting Commerce Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi praised the BRI. China is particularly concerned about the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which it views as a separatist threat to its national security and the BRI. Consequently, China has repeatedly urged the Taliban to crack down on the group. In May 2023, then-Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang met Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and emphasized the need for Afghanistan to combat terrorism to ensure regional security.

India has also begun engaging with the Taliban. On January 8, 2025, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai, signaling India’s growing interest in the new regime. According to Indian media, this was the highest-level contact between India and the Taliban-led government since 2021. The discussions focused on India’s humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan.

The European Union continues to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. In 2024, the EU allocated €125 million ($139 million) for humanitarian aid, human resources, and crisis management, according to an EU Commission press release. Since 2021, the EU has also organized 35 "air-bridge" flights delivering 1,600 tons of aid.

Iran, on February 26, 2023, officially handed over the Afghan embassy in Tehran to diplomats from the Taliban regime, marking a new phase in bilateral relations. Although Iran has yet to reopen its embassy in Kabul, it continues to engage with the Taliban through diplomatic channels.

The Taliban has also strengthened its relationships with Central Asian countries. For instance, on December 29, 2023, Kazakhstan removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, sending a positive message to others. Since then, the Taliban has engaged with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan as well.

Although more than a dozen countries and international humanitarian organizations—such as the UN—are actively engaging with the Taliban regime, none have formally recognized the Taliban-led government in Kabul since its return to power five years ago. It remains to be seen how the Taliban regime's international journey will unfold in the future.

Panday is a foreign affairs journalist based in Kathmandu, Nepal.