Sat May 24 18:35:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text followed by a rewritten news article:
**Summary:**
After a five-year suspension following the Taliban takeover in 2021, India has quietly resumed granting visas to Afghan citizens across several categories including business, medical, student, and entry visas. The move follows recent diplomatic engagement between India and the Taliban administration, signaling a possible thaw in relations despite India not officially recognizing the regime. While the Indian government has not issued a formal announcement, a new online visa portal for Afghan nationals has been activated, outlining eligibility criteria and required documentation for various visa types.
**News Article:**
**India Resumes Visa Services for Afghan Nationals After Five-Year Suspension**
*New Delhi, May 25, 2025* – In a move signaling a potential shift in diplomatic relations, India has quietly resumed granting visas to Afghan citizens, five years after suspending all visa services following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021.
While the Indian government has not made a formal announcement, a new online visa portal, “New AFGHAN Visa” has been launched on indianvisaonline.gov.in, allowing Afghan nationals to apply for visas in categories including student, business, medical, medical attendant, entry, and U.N. diplomat.
A government source confirmed to *The Hindu* that visas are now being issued for trade, medical purposes, and other categories. The portal outlines specific requirements including passport, national identity card, and a recent photograph. “Entry” visas are available for artists, academics, Afghan property owners in India, and certain family members of Indian citizens and residents. Business visas extend to athletes and investors.
The resumption of visa services comes on the heels of recent diplomatic engagement. On May 15th, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Prior to that, senior Indian diplomat Anand Prakash met with Mr. Muttaqi in Kabul to discuss political, trade, and regional issues. The Taliban administration has also condemned the recent terror attacks in India.
Previously, India only offered limited “e-Emergency X-Miscellaneous visas,” primarily to members of the Hindu and Sikh communities stranded in Afghanistan. The broader resumption of visa services suggests a calculated effort to re-engage with Afghanistan under the current Taliban regime, despite the ongoing lack of official recognition.
First Piper 