New Delhi: India’s presence in Afghanistan went from being a technical team to a full-fledged embassy on Tuesday. This is a big step in diplomacy since it shows that India is more involved with the Taliban rule, even though it doesn’t officially recognize the government in Kabul.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made the announcement less than a week after Afghanistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi finished his historic trip to India. This was the first time a high-ranking Taliban official has been to India since the group took power in August 2021.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement, “In keeping with the decision announced during the recent visit of the Afghan foreign minister to India, the government is restoring the status of the Technical Mission of India in Kabul to that of Embassy of India in Afghanistan with immediate effect.”
After four years, India gets its embassy status back.
After the Taliban took control Kabul in 2021, India pulled all of its diplomats out of Afghanistan and closed its missions there. In June 2022, New Delhi sent a technical team back to India to help with humanitarian relief and keep an eye on infrastructure.
The MEA added that the embassy’s new function would “increase India’s contribution to Afghanistan’s overall development, humanitarian aid, and capacity-building efforts, in line with the needs and goals of Afghan society.”
People who know about the situation say that the embassy will now work at a full diplomatic level, but it will be led by a chargé d’affaires instead of an ambassador. This shows that India still does not recognize the Taliban government.
Muttaqi’s Visit Is a Big Step Forward in Diplomacy
The declaration came just after Amir Khan Muttaqi’s week-long trip to India from October 9 to 15, which was seen as a big step forward in relations between India and the Taliban.
Muttaqi met with S. Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs, and other high-ranking officials during his tour. Jaishankar had said after the meetings that India will “upgrade its diplomatic role” in Kabul. This comment has now become policy.
During his visit to India, Muttaqi told reporters that he was hopeful about the relationship between the two countries and that Afghanistan will send ambassadors to New Delhi to improve diplomatic coordination.
He also said again that Afghanistan “will not allow its soil to be used against any country.” This is something India really wanted to hear because it is worried about terrorism and instability in the region.
India’s Strategic Goals in Afghanistan
India has had developmental and humanitarian links with Afghanistan for a long time. It has spent more than $3 billion on rebuilding projects, such as roads, schools, and the Afghan Parliament building.
New Delhi’s choice to reopen its embassy is a deliberate move to keep talking to Kabul for the sake of regional stability and humanitarian access without officially recognizing the Taliban government.
The action also comes at a time when tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have risen considerably since cross-border strikes last week that purportedly killed 10 people, three of whom were Afghan cricketers.
What the Upgrade Means
According to diplomatic observers, India’s increased presence will allow:
Better coordination on humanitarian aid and development programs,
Better communication and security checks,
And a practical way to talk to the Taliban leadership that fits with India’s objectives in the region.
Officials, on the other hand, said again that New Delhi’s position on recognition hasn’t changed. They stressed that formal recognition will depend on the Taliban’s respect for international standards on human rights, women’s rights, and counterterrorism obligations.