Taliban secures pragmatic global alliances without formal recognition

What the report says

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has built a wider network of regional and international ties five years after returning to power, even though most countries still do not formally recognize it. Al Jazeera reports that Kabul is working with more than 40 diplomatic missions, and that its outreach now spans trade, security, energy and transport.

China stands out as one of the movement’s key partners, with cooperation linked to security and investment, including the long-discussed Logar copper project. Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Afghan government in July 2025, but the article says most of the international community continues to withhold recognition. Neighboring states such as Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are also deepening economic links, including trade deals and pipeline or rail projects that could connect Central Asia more closely to Afghanistan and beyond.

Pakistan remains the most strained relationship, with tensions centered on accusations from Islamabad that Kabul shelters the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, which the Taliban rejects. At the same time, Afghanistan has tried to diversify trade routes through Iran and Central Asia to reduce dependence on Pakistani ports. Iran, India, and Gulf states are maintaining more limited but active engagement, often driven by commerce, energy, or regional competition.

Western governments continue to interact with Taliban officials mainly on security, migration, counterterrorism and humanitarian issues. The broader significance is that, despite isolation on the diplomatic front, the Taliban is finding practical ways to operate within a regional order that values security and access to trade routes more than formal recognition.