While not naming Bagram explicitly, the nations united on the issue and released a joint statement which said, “They (the participants) called unacceptable the attempts by countries to deploy their military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighbouring states, since this does not serve the interests of regional peace and stability.”
The remark was widely seen as aimed at Trump’s renewed push to reclaim the base.Afghanistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended the forum as a full member for the first time and represented the Taliban government.
He is also on a visit to India from Oct 9 to 16, marking the first official trip by a Taliban minister to India since the group’s return to power in 2021.
Trump’s renewed demand for Bagram
Trump has consistently argued that the US should regain control of the Bagram air base, nearly five years after signing a 2020 agreement that led to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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During a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on September 18, Trump said, “We gave it to (the Taliban) for nothing. We want that base back.”Days later, he warned on his Truth Social platform, saying, “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram air base back to those that built it, the United States of America, bad things are going to happen!”
However, the Taliban has firmly dismissed the request.
“Afghans will never allow their land to be handed over to anyone under any circumstances,” chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said.
Why Bagram matters?
Located around 50 kilometres north of Kabul, Bagram is Afghanistan’s largest and most strategically significant military base.
It hosts two runways measuring 3 km and 3.6 km, making it one of the few sites in the country capable of accommodating large aircraft.
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Its position and infrastructure reportedly made it a central operational hub during the US-led “war on terror” after 2001.
The Moscow Format participants reaffirmed support for an “independent, united and peaceful” Afghanistan and called for enhanced “counter-terrorism cooperation”.
The statement also emphasised economic engagement and regional connectivity, reflecting India’s continued interest in projects such as Iran’s Chabahar port for accessing Afghanistan.
