E-Paper
‘Will shut embassy in Delhi’: Afghan diplomats tell India, cite lack of support
The move to close the Afghan embassy follows fresh moves by elements in New Delhi, considered close to the Taliban setup in Kabul, to take over the mission
Prefer HTon Google
NEW DELHI: More than two years after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, diplomats appointed by the previous Afghan government have informed Indian authorities of their plan to shutter the embassy in New Delhi because of the lack of “diplomatic consideration and systemic support”.
The diplomats informed the external affairs ministry of the move through a note verbale, or unsigned diplomatic correspondence, sent on September 25. HT has seen the document, which states no support was provided in response to “legitimate requests” from the embassy on at least 10 occasions over the past six months.
There was no immediate response from Indian officials on the Afghan embassy closing its operations by the end of September 2023.
People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity the Afghan ambassador appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government, Farid Mamundzay, had been out of India for many months and there had been a steady departure of Afghan diplomats to third countries after receiving asylum. There were also reports of infighting among embassy personnel, the people said.
The move to close the Afghan embassy comes against the backdrop of fresh moves by elements in New Delhi, considered close to the Taliban setup in Kabul, to take over the mission. This included a move made during the current week. At the same time, posts by senior Taliban functionaries on social media platform X have shown that the heads of the Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad, though appointed by the previous Ghani government, have begun working with the Taliban setup in Kabul.
The few remaining diplomats in the Afghan embassy confirmed the authenticity of the note verbale and said Mamundzay had been away from India since June 18, 2023, and an acting ambassador has been overseeing the embassy’s operations.
The diplomats, speaking on the condition that they not be named, said other Afghan personnel left India because of an increasingly untenable situation, which had arisen because of threats to their families in Afghanistan by the Taliban and the “lack of support” from the Indian side.
According to the note verbale, the Afghan mission’s “significance has been systematically diminished since the reopening of the Indian embassy in Kabul in June 2022”. It said no action was taken or limited support was provided in response to requests related to education initiatives, consular services support and help for Afghan traders.
The embassy could not assist almost 3,000 Afghan students awaiting student visas since 2021 or others wishing to travel to India for medical treatment, the note verbale said.
The note verbale asks the Indian side to assume “custodial responsibility of the Afghan diplomatic mission properties” in New Delhi and Mumbai and “custodial authority” over financial accounts, including the Indian Afghanistan Fund. Article 45 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations states that, in the event of the recall of diplomatic personnel, the receiving state “must, even in case of armed conflict, respect and protect the premises of the mission”.
The note verbale also asked the external affairs ministry to issue exit permits to the remaining Afghan diplomats – believed to be less than five – so that they can leave the country with their families.
Like all other countries, India too hasn’t recognised the Taliban setup and has instead pushed for the formation of an inclusive government in Kabul and the protection of rights of women, children and minorities. At the same time, New Delhi has quietly engaged key Taliban leaders to have a presence in Kabul and to protect India’s security interests.
Former Afghan diplomats have also closed embassies in most world capitals, while missions in a few countries, including Pakistan and China, have been handed over to Taliban representatives.
