India formally upgrades its ‘technical mission’ in Kabul to embassy

India upgraded its diplomatic mission in Afghanistan to an embassy, enhancing ties with the Taliban, but stops short of formal recognition of their regime.

India on Tuesday announced the upgrading of its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan from the status of a technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy as part of its engagement with the Taliban while stopping short of a formal recognition of the regime that came to power in August 2021.

The formal announcement from the external affairs ministry came less than a week after Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi concluded his visit to India. (Wikimedia Commons)

The formal announcement from the external affairs ministry came less than a week after Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi concluded his visit to India, the first by a senior member of the group. Following talks with Muttaqi on October 10, external affairs minister S Jaishankar had said India would upgrade its diplomatic role in Kabul.

India withdrew its officials from and shuttered all its missions in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in 2021. India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul in June 2022 by deploying a “technical team” headed by a middle-ranking diplomat.

“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,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

The embassy in Kabul will augment India’s “contribution to Afghanistan’s comprehensive development, humanitarian assistance, and capacity-building initiatives, in keeping with the priorities and aspirations of Afghan society”.

People familiar with the matter said the diplomat heading the embassy in Kabul will have the status of chargé d’affaires and an ambassador is not expected to be appointed, in keeping with the lack of formal recognition of the Taliban regime.

Muttaqi’s visit during October 9-15 marked a significant step forward in India’s engagement with the Taliban regime. Muttaqi told a group of journalists that Afghanistan will send diplomats to the embassy in New Delhi to take forward relations.

Muttaqi, who was in India amid a dramatic escalation in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, reiterated an assurance that no one will be allowed to use Afghan soil to target other countries.