Taliban Deny Any Indian Presence at Bagram Airbase

DID Press: Taliban has dismissed reports claiming India requested access to Afghanistan’s Bagram Airbase, calling the allegations “fabricated” and “baseless.” Officials from the group said these rumors are aimed at undermining relations between Kabul and New Delhi.

According to a report by Sunday Guardian, Taliban authorities denied suggestions that India had proposed any form of presence or cooperation at the former U.S. military base. Taliban officials described the claims circulating on social media as part of an effort by certain groups to damage growing diplomatic and economic ties between Afghanistan and India.

The speculation surfaced after media reports indicated that India might be reevaluating its strategic footprint in Central Asia, including a withdrawal from its military facility in Tajikistan. This prompted speculation that New Delhi could seek an alternative location in Afghanistan—specifically Bagram, one of the largest and most strategic airbases in the region.

Sources quoted by Sunday Guardian confirmed that no negotiations or proposals regarding Indian involvement at Bagram are underway.

Bagram Airbase, approximately 60 km north of Kabul, served as the main hub for U.S. and NATO operations during the two-decade war in Afghanistan and remains a site of high strategic importance.

Analysts in Kabul believe that recent reports about Washington’s potential interest in regaining operational access to Bagram may have fueled speculation about India’s role as well.

The Taliban reiterated that Afghanistan’s territory will not be used for foreign military activities and criticized attempts to spread disinformation that could disrupt international relations.