Why in the News?
- Seventh round of Moscow Format consultations was held in Moscow.
Moscow Format Talks
- What is it?: It is a regional diplomatic platform focused on Afghanistan, led by Russia; established in 2017, based originally on a six-party mechanism (Russia, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iran, India) and now expanded to include Central Asian republics and others.
- Members: Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and India.
- Key Objective: To facilitate a national reconciliation process in Afghanistan, promote peace and stability, discuss humanitarian assistance, inclusive governance, counter-terrorism, and regional security.
- Evolution:
- Began as a dialogue platform before the Taliban takeover of Kabul (August 2021).
- Provides a forum for major regional stakeholders to discuss Afghanistan’s future and ensure that Afghan territory is not used for terrorism.
- Significance for India:
- India’s participation indicates its commitment to a stable, independent, and peaceful Afghanistan.
- Ensures that India remains a key player in any future Afghan peace process and protects its strategic interests (prevents safe havens for anti-India terrorist groups).
- Allows engagement with regional powers and coordination on counter-terrorism and humanitarian issues.
- Recent Developments:
- In October 2025, the 7th round of Moscow Format consultations was held in Moscow.
- For the first time, Afghanistan’s interim Taliban government was included as an official participant (represented by its Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi).
- In these talks, Russia openly urged Western countries to thaw their policies toward Afghanistan- calling for the release of seized Afghan assets and reduction of sanctions.
- A unified stance emerged rejecting U.S. proposals to re-establish military presence (notably the Bagram Air Base) in Afghanistan.
- India supported deepening economic ties and investment cooperation with Afghanistan during these consultations.