Central Asian countries are increasingly seeking to strengthen their relationships with Afghanistan over the TAPI gas pipeline revival despite the Taliban government's increasingly restrictive policies, particularly toward women.

Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have all taken steps to expand their engagement with Kabul. Kyrgyzstan removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations earlier this month, while Turkmenistan resumed work on a major gas pipeline project with Afghanistan. 

In August, Uzbekistan's prime minister made a high-profile visit to Kabul, resulting in $2.5 billion worth of cooperation agreements.

Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev stated that the decision to remove the Taliban from the terrorist list aims to "secure regional stability and further develop ongoing dialogue."

The much-delayed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, designed to transport natural gas from Turkmenistan to South Asia, also saw progress with Turkmenistan and Taliban officials holding a ceremony to mark its resumption.

The estimated $10 billion TAPI project has been delayed due to war and instability in Afghanistan. Turkmenistan hopes it will become a key source of revenue, while Afghanistan is also looking to earn significant transit fees. 

However, Western sanctions on the Taliban and the lack of international recognition of the government pose challenges to the project's future.

In August, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Oripov's visit to Kabul resulted in agreements worth $2.5 billion in various sectors. Afghanistan and Kazakhstan have also announced plans to increase bilateral trade.

While Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have been active in engaging with the Taliban, Tajikistan has maintained a more cautious stance. However, even Tajikistan is reportedly softening its policies toward the Taliban, driven by economic incentives and shared concerns about regional security.

Experts suggest that China and Kazakhstan have played a role in influencing Tajikistan's shift in attitude, with Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev emphasizing the importance of developing trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan.