India Denies Role in Taliban Minister's Press Conference That Excluded Women Journalists

The Taliban government in Afghanistan is well-known for imposing strict restrictions on women.

New Delhi:

India firmly stated on Saturday that it had "no role to play" in the press conference held by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi - an event that generated controversy as women were reportedly not 'allowed' to attend.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that invitations for the press meet were issued to select journalists by Afghanistan's Consul General in Mumbai who were in Delhi covering the Afghan minister's visit. The MEA emphasized that the Afghan Embassy territory falls outside the jurisdiction of the Indian government.

The Friday press conference at the Afghanistan Embassy notably lacked female presence. Several female journalists were allegedly prevented from entering the event. Following the press meet, numerous journalists expressed their indignation on social media platforms, highlighting that female reporters had adhered to the required dress code.

Afghanistan's Taliban government has established a reputation for implementing severe restrictions on women, particularly prohibiting them from working. In recent actions, they banned books authored by women in Afghan universities and eliminated 18 courses, including Gender and Development, Women's Sociology, Human Rights, Afghan Constitutional Law, and Globalisation and Development.

Opposition leaders in India have challenged the Central government regarding the alleged exclusion of women from the event.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, "When you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them." He further remarked, "In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti."

Mr. Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them.In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 11, 2025

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called on PM Modi to "clarify" his position on the incident. She questioned how the "insult to some of India's most competent women was allowed in our country, a country whose women are its backbone and its pride".

Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference of the representative of the Taliban on his visit to India.If your recognition of women's rights isn't just convenient posturing from one election to…

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 11, 2025

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram expressed that male journalists should have walked out of the press conference upon discovering that women were not permitted to attend. "I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by 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)," he stated.

I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr Amir Khan Muttaqi of AfghanistanIn my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited)

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) October 11, 2025

Muttaqi arrived in India on Thursday and engaged in discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar the following day. The meeting represented a significant reset in bilateral relations, with India announcing plans to upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to an embassy - an announcement welcomed by the Afghanistan foreign minister.

During the announcement, Jaishankar affirmed, "India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan. I am pleased to announce the upgrading of India's Technical Mission to the status of Embassy". He also expressed a "deep interest" in Afghanistan's development and progress, referencing numerous existing India-backed projects in the country, and committed to six additional initiatives.