New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday clarified that it had no involvement in the press conference held by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi on Friday. The event drew widespread criticism after reports emerged that women journalists were allegedly barred from attending.
The press interaction was organised at the Afghanistan Embassy following bilateral talks between MEA Minister S Jaishankar and Muttaqi. No joint briefing was held; the Afghan side conducted a separate media session at its embassy, which only allowed selected male journalists and Afghan embassy officials to attend. During the conference, Muttaqi addressed India-Afghanistan relations, humanitarian assistance, trade routes, and security cooperation.
The exclusion of women journalists sparked national political outrage. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his stance, terming the incident “an insult to India’s women journalists.” Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram expressed shock and suggested that male journalists should have walked out in solidarity. Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram also criticised the government, calling the exclusion “outright ridiculous” and blaming the MEA and Jaishankar for acquiescing to the Taliban’s discriminatory norms.
During his bilateral meeting with Muttaqi, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar announced that India would upgrade its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of the Embassy of India, reaffirming India’s commitment to Afghanistan’s sovereignty and independence.
The visit of the Taliban minister, which began on October 9 and continues until October 16, marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to India since the Taliban took power in August 2021.
The MEA reiterated that it had no role in organising or managing the Afghan Embassy’s press interaction, distancing itself from the controversy over the exclusion of women journalists.
