India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a clear statement on Saturday, October 11, 2025, clarifying that it had no hand in the controversial press interaction hosted by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, during his visit to New Delhi the previous day.
This clarification comes amidst significant backlash following reports that women journalists were deliberately excluded from the event. Sources, including the Press Trust of India (PTI), indicate that the decision regarding media invitations for the interaction was made by the Taliban officials accompanying Minister Muttaqi.
The MEA emphasized, “MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan FM in Delhi,” reiterating its distance from the incident.
The exclusion quickly ignited outrage among Indian political figures. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra voiced strong criticism, calling the incident an “insult to some of India’s most competent women.”
Vadra, a General Secretary of the Congress party, further challenged the government, questioning how such an affront to Indian women could be permitted within the country if the Prime Minister’s stance on women’s rights was genuine and not merely a political maneuver.
The contentious press conference took place at the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi. It followed bilateral discussions between India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, and Mr. Muttaqi. Notably, there was no joint press briefing after their official meeting; the Afghan delegation chose to conduct a separate media interaction independently at their embassy.
Adding to the chorus of disapproval, former Union Home Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram expressed his profound shock and disappointment. He suggested that male journalists present should have walked out in solidarity with their female counterparts.
Chidambaram articulated his dismay in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan. In my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited).”
Internationally, the Taliban regime in Kabul has faced consistent and severe criticism from numerous countries and global organizations, including the United Nations, for its regressive policies that severely curtail the rights and freedoms of women in Afghanistan.
During Friday’s interaction, when directly questioned about the deteriorating situation for women in Afghanistan, Minister Muttaqi sidestepped the issue. He vaguely remarked that every nation operates under its unique customs, laws, and principles, implying a need for respect for these differing approaches.
(Based on reports from agencies)