Amid increasingly close engagement between New Delhi and Taliban, Abdul Shakoor Haqqani, the Taliban’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, has met with India’s ambassador in Bishkek, Birender Singh Yadav.

According to a statement from the Taliban embassy in Kyrgyzstan on Friday, the two diplomats discussed strengthening relations, enhancing economic and trade cooperation and expanding diplomatic engagement. Regional connectivity and humanitarian assistance were also included in the talks.

The statement said both sides viewed the Taliban foreign minister’s recent visit to India as an important step toward developing bilateral ties. They also expressed hope that the visit of Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban minister of commerce and industry, to New Delhi would create new opportunities for trade, exports and imports.

Azizi travelled to India on Thursday and met several Indian officials, including the foreign minister.

The Taliban has deepened its outreach to New Delhi at a time when relations with Islamabad have deteriorated to their lowest level in years.