The Taliban’s August 2021 return to power in Afghanistan dramatically altered regional geopolitics and security dynamics across South Asia. Four years later, the country’s economic recovery is precarious, restrictions on women and girls remain, and security concerns persist due to the presence of regional and global terrorist groups. While the Taliban regime’s inability to restrain some of these groups and unwillingness to act against others has exacerbated tensions across the region and beyond, opportunities for engagement have also emerged from Afghanistan’s relative stability.
This conversation, based on a South Asian Voices series, will explore Afghanistan’s regional ties under Taliban rule, how the group’s evolving priorities are reshaping diplomatic calculations in its neighborhood, and the state of relations with key global powers.
Read the full event transcript.
Featured Speakers
Youssof Ghafoorzai, Former Afghan Ambassador to Norway
Shalini Chawla, Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies
Sibghatullah Ghaznawi, Associate Research Scholar, Columbia University
Amina Khan, Director, Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa, Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad
Sarah Godek, Research Associate, China Program, Stimson Center
Akriti Vasudeva Kalyankar, Fellow, South Asia Program, Stimson Center (Moderator)
Read Our South Asian Voices Series
China’s Shifting Landscape in Afghanistan, Sarah Godek, South Asian Voices, May 27, 2025.
Pakistan and Afghanistan Need a Holistic Path Forward, Amina Khan, South Asian Voices, March 30, 2025
India’s Approach to Taliban 2.0: Cautious and Persistent, Shalini Chawla, South Asian Voices, March 28, 2025
Shifting Alliances: The Taliban’s Evolving ties with India and Pakistan, Sibghatullah Ghaznawi, South Asian Voices, March 19, 2025.