NEW DELHI: India has restored the status of its diplomatic mission in Kabul to a full embassy, signalling a cautious but notable step towards normalising relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban administration.
The move follows a visit to New Delhi by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi earlier this month, the first such trip by a Taliban leader since the group seized power in 2021. During the visit, both sides discussed trade, humanitarian cooperation, and regional stability.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced on Tuesday that the government was upgrading its “technical mission” in Kabul back to a full embassy “with immediate effect.” The ministry said the decision reflected India’s resolve to “deepen bilateral engagement with the Afghan side in all spheres of mutual interest.”
The statement added that the restored embassy would work to expand India’s role in Afghanistan’s development, humanitarian assistance, and capacity-building projects “in keeping with the priorities and aspirations of Afghan society.”
India had closed its embassy in Kabul in August 2021 after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces. A limited technical mission was reopened a year later to coordinate aid and trade-related work.
Around a dozen countries currently maintain embassies in Kabul, including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkiye. However, Russia remains the only major power to have formally recognised the Taliban government.
While New Delhi has not extended official recognition to the Taliban, it has gradually re-engaged through dialogue and humanitarian initiatives, reflecting a pragmatic approach to the shifting political landscape in Afghanistan.
Analysts say the embassy’s restoration could open a new phase in India–Afghanistan relations, particularly in economic and developmental cooperation under a cautious diplomatic framework.
