Russia signs military pact with Taliban - How it can benefit India and unsettle Pak

Less than a year after formally recognising the Taliban government in Afghanistan, Russia has now signed a military cooperation agreement with Kabul. According to Politico, the agreement was signed on Wednesday during a meeting between Afghan Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoub and Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu at the International Security Forum in Moscow. While the exact details of the pact remain unclear, Yaqoub described it as an expansion of bilateral relations between the two nations.

“Interaction with Russia is important for us,” Yaqoub said after the meeting. “Afghanistan and Russia have long-standing and historic relations, and we want to move forward in this direction.”

The development marks a striking reversal in relations between Moscow and Kabul. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and spent a decade fighting the mujahideen, many of whom later formed the Taliban. Relations remained hostile for years after Soviet troops withdrew, although Russia was later accused of quietly supporting Taliban factions following the US invasion of Afghanistan.

Shoigu also urged Western nations to “unfreeze” sanctions on the Taliban and “fully acknowledge their full responsibility for their 20-year presence in Afghanistan”.

Russia had already taken a major step towards legitimising the Taliban in 2025. In April 2025, Moscow removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organisations, ending a designation that had existed since 2003. Then, in July 2025, Russia became the first country in the world to officially recognise the Taliban government since the group seized power in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces in 2021.

The Russian foreign ministry said at the time that recognising the Taliban administration would improve “productive bilateral cooperation”. Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi called the move a “historic step” and said it set “a good example for other countries”.

What the Russia-Taliban partnership means for India

For India, the growing closeness between Russia and the Taliban could present strategic advantages. New Delhi has traditionally maintained strong ties with Moscow, while also reopening channels with the Taliban in recent years to protect its regional interests and investments in Afghanistan. Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had visitied India in 2025.

A Russia-backed Taliban government may create more diplomatic space for India to expand engagement with Kabul without formally recognising the regime. It also reduces the risk of Afghanistan falling entirely under the influence of Pakistan or China.

The development may also help India’s long-term ambitions of improving connectivity with Central Asia through Afghanistan while bypassing Pakistan.

Why it may be bad news for Pakistan

The Russia-Taliban partnership could also weaken Pakistan’s traditional influence over Afghanistan. Islamabad was once regarded as the Taliban’s closest ally, but ties between the two sides have deteriorated sharply in recent years amid border clashes, militant violence and air strikes.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering anti-Pakistan militants, while Kabul has criticised Islamabad’s military actions along the border.

Pakistan-Afghanistan ties hit rock bottom earlier this year after Kabul accused Islamabad of carrying out deadly airstrikes on Afghan territory, including a controversial bombing of a drug rehabilitation hospital in the Afghan capital. Taliban officials claimed more than 400 people were killed in the strike, though Pakistan denied targeting civilians and said it was attacking militant infrastructure linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The crisis followed months of escalating tensions, cross-border shelling and drone strikes along the disputed Durand Line border. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban government of sheltering anti-Pakistan militants, while Kabul has rejected the allegations and accused Islamabad of violating Afghan sovereignty.

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