The meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, on the request of the Taliban side, said the Ministry of External Affairs

In a first formal contact between India and the Taliban post the Islamic group’s takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, Ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal on Tuesday met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Head of Taliban’s Political Office in Doha.

The meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, on the request of the Taliban side, a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

According to the statement, Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner.

The Taliban Representative assured the Ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed.

Discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan.

The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities who wish to visit to India also came up for discussions